Blades of Destiny, Part One: Spark to Flame
by kayladw7
Summary: Women were supposed to be useless. They're supposed to be inferior to men. But she was determined to prove them wrong. "Behind every great man there is an even greater woman." She'd prove that... Read and review please!
1. Blade of Fate: Prologue

Prologue

Luo Castle, Shu Han

May 19, 254 A.D.

Snoring. Wood cracking in fire. The bustling of hay being shifted in pads.

These were the only sounds that could be heard in the stone prison I am held in. Honestly, I should be at peace like my ladies-in-waiting (if you can call them that) but I am not. Unfortunately I will not be at ease for some hours when I am alas departed and past my pain.

It should not have ended like this. I was promised that it wouldn't. But then again, promises are always broken unless promised by God himself. Now all I can do is sit in this chamber writing my last letter to my Emperor and his court.

In my last hours, all I can do is pray. I to condemn my soul to Christ and pray that the Lord show mercy on those that were already damned to the blade that still awaits me: Mei Cai, whose loyalty to me led her to a death that she didn't deserve. My son, who has never in his life broken the sixth commandment against murder. Kin Sun, also innocent of a crime he never committed. Zhou Li, who was sentenced to the scaffold because of me…even after all he has done for me and my son.

And my beloved Renshu – what will happen to him? Will he be stoned for the crime of murder and incest as I have been found guilty of? Or is he to be released and to go insane over his losses as I have? If I had a choice to live and allow him to die or to continue onto my grave and allow him life, I would thankfully choose to die.

I am now ready to die for I have nothing else to live for. And I die in such irony! To think that _I_ used to be on top. _I _was to be the one on the right side of the sword. But I am prepared, nevertheless. I am prepared to submit to the Blade of Fate.


	2. Adding Fuel to the Fire

Sima Shi stood with his rapier, Soul Piercer, while his eldest daughter stood with her trishulas. Sima Xian took the lead by first swinging her weapons toward her father but he ducked. Shi, while Xian was still trying to gain control of her bladed weapons, appeared behind her. There, he managed to take the trishulas off of her and raised his sword against her neck, but when he did it, the tip of his sword sliced through her side.

He moved the blade away. "I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to get cut like that-"

"You–hoo? Ziyuan?" a girly voice rang in the distance. A short, brown-haired woman swiftly walked into the grass of the training area. She carried two cups of water with her. She met her lover in a brief kiss before handing him one of the glasses, the other for herself.

An annoyed expression marred Sima Xian's flawless face. Why was Wu Lin even there? She hated her. Wu Lin had stolen her place in her father's heart. She had even dulled her mother's sharp thorn in her father's side; the thorn that made him love Hui. But what she despised the most about the Lady Wu was that they were so much alike. Just as Xian would do anything for what she wanted, so would Wu Lin. It sickened her!

"Lady Sima," the harlot addressed, "if you are going to use those…bulky items as weapons, I'd suggest that you learned how to wield them better. And definitely learn to move faster. Speed looks like the key to those things."

She glared at the woman harder, only for her father's glare to worsen. "Xian," Shi warned. But that didn't matter.

"You are not my mother, Lady Wu. And even if you were, I would not take your advice on anything." Xian took a step forward, placing her empty hand on her hip. "You have overreached yourself."

"You have obviously not heard, my little Xiany, that your mother is no longer with us. She's abandoned you and your sisters. Now I see why."

At that moment, her heart stopped. Surely this was another one of her lies!

"So anyways, I'll be becoming your mother within a few hours!" she squeaked.

It wasn't supposed to bother her. She was Sima Xian! She let nothing bother, and she certainly didn't let anyone know she was bothered.

"Xian, go take your cousin somewhere. I'll discuss this with you later."

She bowed and walked away, taking her two-year-old cousin with her.

* * *

"Let me go! I don't want to go!"

She kicked and screamed at Diao Ning as hot tears trickled down her face. Ning hurriedly tied the sash to Xian's_ Quju_ _Shenyi_ when she wiped her eyes. Even Ning had to admit, what Shi had done was shitty. And Wu Lin was still the classless little bitch she was when they had first met in high school.

"I know it hurts, Xian, but it'll be okay. Trust me."

"How can you say that? Was my mother not your best friend? How is it that you feel nothing! Do you even care that she's dead? That my father is getting married on the day of his wife's mysterious murder-"

"Do not speak like that! …It's treason…"

"…You still didn't answer the question, Lady Diao. Do you care?"

"I-"

Before she could finish, the door swung open and Sima Yi strode into the room followed by the toddler Sima Fu.

"What is taking so long? Why isn't she dressed yet," he spat at Ning. She frowned and tried to stumble out an explanation.

"Xian doesn't want to go to the wedding. She is still grieving her deceased mother-"

"Xian never even liked her mother, let alone would she actually grieve." Both sets of eyes fell upon the small child.

"Grandfather I am not going and as a matter of fact, little Fu Fu there is staying with me."

Yi snatched the child up by her collars. She tried to squirm her way out of his tight grip, but had no avail. She had no choice but to meet her grandfather's gaze.

"Little girl, you are to do as I have instructed. Now get dressed and behave before I have to hit you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine."

"That's not the answer I was looking for, Xian."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes sir."

"Better. You have ten minutes to get your butt into there," he stated before picking Fu up and striding out of the room; however, not before Fu was able to sneak his cousin a devilishly handsome smile.

* * *

"_The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account of in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions of obtaining in the field." _He read aloud.

She twirled a lock of hair with her index finger, not paying attention to the fact that he was waiting for her to repeat him.

"Xian, this isn't a lesson if you aren't going to learn anything. Were you even listening?"

She stopped and looked up at him. "What did you say?"

He closed the book in front of her and stood up.

"What's on your mind? You haven't been yourself lately; even when we train."

"So you've finally noticed? It took you long enough."

Sima Shi raised an eyebrow.

"I…forgive me, father. It's just that I find hard to handle everything that being fed to me. First mother dies and now you've married the Lady Wu; whom I do despise."

He frowned. The news that he would deliver to her now would add more fuel to her already spreading flame.

"You're mother and I have been discussing your sudden, and rather disrespectful, outbursts and behavior. We have come to the conclusion that you have grown too comfortable and attached here at Shouchun…"

"What are you saying father?"

"…We are going to send you to Europe. You're uncles will take my place as your guardian for your three year stay-"

"Three years? That certainly is a long time! Wha-what about Nanyang? Or Mei Lin? Are they going too?"

"I'm sorry but no, my daughter. You are the only one. See it as an…adventure. You'll still have your tutors and a few attendants. I think that you'll have an amazing time in France. You will get to see new things and meet new people; rather than being boxed up here in Wei."

"…It's because of her, isn't it? She's bewitched you father! You have allowed her to break what was once unbreakable! Our bond is now shattered. How could you allow this to happen…? I refuse to leave home."

He sighed and started shuffling through some papers, writing on one every once and a while.

"You shall go to France, Sima Xian."

* * *

A/N: I'm back peoples! I know I said that I was going to post on May 19th, but I just couldn't make you all wait that long for this. Special thanks to my betas!


	3. And So It Begins

Sima Shi could not be persuaded otherwise. A quiet and somber Sima Xian stood and watched bitterly as carts were filled with her clothes and jewelry as well as other things that they would need on their journey. When Sima Zhang brought his son and nieces to see Xian, they saw her sitting alone on at a fountain seat glaring into space. She had that same expression on her face that she had since as long as they can remember. It was a mien that showed her hate for the world.

He pitied her. Her father had killed her mother little over a week ago and now he was sending her away – the person who once mattered most in his life. Now, instead of blaming Shi – or that annoying little bitch he was now married to now – she blamed the world and herself.

Her cold blue eyes suddenly flicked upon him. She sighed and stood up before them and bowed to him. He blinked and said nothing. She returned to her position.

Sima Gaoling placed her hands onto her hip playfully.

"That's not the proper greeting for Uncle, Xiany."

Sima Xian glared at her sister, he nose flaring.

"And that is not the proper greeting for me, Lady Sima. Perhaps you have forgotten where we stand. You are not a princess. I am." She spat.

"Xian," Zhang warned.

However it was too late. Tears had already began to swell in little Gaoling's eyes. As if the burn of tears threatened to kill her, she burst out into a fit of tears and ran off; followed by the rest of her Mei Lin and Nanyang.

Zhang sat down next to Xian and placed Fu on his lap. The toddler squealed and reached for his beautiful cousin. She smiled and placed him on her lap.

"I'm sorry that this is happening to you. Your father is-"

"Thinking with something other than his brain. Just like always," she finished.

Zhang raised an eyebrow and sat in silence.

"He has taken a liking to Uncle Zhao's son, Sima You… This could be bad for my siblings. …Tell me, Uncle, what does he have planned for my sisters? Will he send them far from home as well? Or will he find a way to have them disappear like my mother?"

"Believe it or not, it was your grandfather who came up with the idea of sending you away. However, he only wants you to better yourself there." He sighs.

"Of course Shi wants you to advance as well-"

"Why is he sending me away then?" she questioned.

"The Lady Wu sees you as a threat to her. Everyone knows of the bond you have between your father. It is admirable, but strongly disliked by her. That is why you are going away."

She hated how he talked to her. It wasn't just her Uncle though. Everyone spoke to her like she couldn't understand anything. Like she was mentally retarded. But why wouldn't they? She was only seven and barely looked over the age of four, due to how short she was.

Xian sighed. "I shall…allow her to have her way for now. Perhaps she's forgotten that I am my father's daughter." She smiled slightly. Zhang did not.

Soon the three were joined by Sima Yi and the rest of their kin. Xian didn't even try to get up and bow to them. He started at her. Her gaze turned to her father, her eyes burning into his. He didn't realize how easily she could hold someone's stare without getting intimidated until that moment. That was rare for a seven-year-old.

"You should be helping your servants pack. You need to learn humbleness." he said before realizing that there was no bustle going on.

"We…" Xian put a lot of prominence on the word so to show her father that she knew very well that she should help her servants. "…were done packing an hour ago." she finished her sentence.

"Why did you not call us to you? We have to see you off soon?" asked Sima Shi.

Xian sighed once again. "I don't need you to "see me off". You have somewhere more important to be, don't you?"

"This is why you must leave Sima Xian. You don't know to stay in a child's place. Maybe your trip will teach you some respect-"

"And maybe with my absence, you will learn some longing or even the slightest bit of virility that you probably don't have."

Before he had a chance to retaliate, Xian turned and walked to the thick, wooden boarding plank followed by Fu and her friends and Sima Mei Lin.

Fu immediately ran to Xian and looked up at her with his watery blue eyes. She knelt down and he quickly threw himself into her arms. She hugged him back, biting her lip so that she wouldn't cry.

"Why you go, Xiany?"

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. She saw nothing but hurt.

"I have to, little one."

"But why?"

"I…I have not been disrespectful. Leaving is my punishment."

"But I don't want you to go."

She stroked his cheek and smiled reassuringly. "I know you don't, Fu. I'll be back though."

He frowned.

"You promise?"

"I swear."

She stood up and went over to hug her sister. "Make him bring me back." she whimpered before pulling away and nodding at her companions with a smile. Before she could walk up and onto the ship, Zhuge Dan grabbed her arm and pulled her to him in a hug. Her hot tears began to sting as they swelled in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you, Xian…"

"I'll miss you too."

She kissed his cheek before, causing both of them to blush. She then turned to Zhong Hui with a teary grin.

He smirked.

"You're acting like it's the end of the world. You're coming back, remember?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug. Hui awkwardly stood there as she cried on his shoulder; soon allowing himself to hug her back.

"…It feels like the end of the world to me…"

"But it's not. Three years will go by faster than you think."

She slowly pulled away and wiped her tears on the back of her hand.

"I'm going to miss that smart-butt mouth of yours, Zhong Hui-"

"That is _Master Zhong _to you, Xian. When you return, _I _shall be a proud member of the Wei army."

She laughed, all of her tears gone.

"Good luck with that, Hui."

Hui's eyes widened.

Suddenly, something warm and hairy brushed against her face and arm. She smiles and turned her head and kissed the temple of her snow wolf, Meatbun. Sima Fu ran up to him and loosely gripped his furry face. The wolf shook its wide head, forcing Fu to let of. Xian smiled and pulled a cold meatbun out of her bag. She heated it in her hand for a bit before placing his mouth, careful not to touch his large, bone crushing teeth. The wolf quickly ate the meat bun and looked up; however, his attention was no longer on his owner. Like a majestic creature from a fairytale, a jet black wolf stood imperiously at the tree line of the nearby woods.

Her demeanor was commanding and not easily broken. She held her head up high, showing not an ounce of intimidation on her being. Her eyes looked violet from where she stood.

Meatbun slowly walked to her, his eyes meeting Xian's briefly as he passed. Together, they walked silently into the tall bamboo.

"My lady, we are ready to set sail," the humble and meek voice of Zhao Lei whispered into Xian's ear.

"I'm sorry Fu, but I need to go now," the child stated before starting her inclined walk up the plank.

"No!" Fu whined and ran up behind her to try and stop her but failed when he fell down. "Don't go!"

"I have to."

Fu gazed up at her before starting to pout again.

Before long, everyone had finally had enough.

"Zhang, please just take this child so he'll stop crying."

He pondered for a moment. Fu ran back down the plank and grabbed his father's leg.

"Please daddy! Can we go? Please!"

He couldn't resist his little boy. Silently, he nodded.

* * *

The cool breeze slightly tossed Xian's blonde locks around in her messy ponytail. The calm water rocked the ship with a slight splashing sound every time a wave hit the vessel. She had tried to go to sleep, but the thought of her father kept her awake. He hadn't even said to her a goodbye! Had his new toy really taken her place?

Suddenly, Sima Fu broke her peaceful silence.

"Xiany…?"

She sighed. "Yes?"

He silently walked up next to her, rubbing his eyes.

"Where are we going?"

"I am going to France and you are going to Rome."

"What is France?"

She blinked. "A country in Europe."

"What is Rome?"

"Rome is a city in Italy, which is a country in Europe."

"…Why are you alone?"

"I was ordered to go alone by my father."

"But where are-"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping? It is well past midnight."

"But I-"

"Go to bed, Sima Fu."

Knowing better than to argue with Sima Xian, he walked off silently into the dark night.

* * *

As their ship docked in the harbor, Sima Fu and his father slowly disembarked and looked around. Fu looked in amazement at all the buildings and people. The smell of saltwater stung his eyes and nose – which he didn't like – but he still thought Rome was beautiful. He hadn't even been inside the city yet! He looked up at his father to see him smiling, something he had rarely done nowadays.

* * *

"I welcome you to France, Lady Sima. I am Julien Lafayette and will be your teacher in the art of fencing."

The way the brown haired man spoke Chinese was terrible! It was broken and messy too. How could he call himself a teacher, let alone a king, if he spoke a language as simple as Chinese?

He was a tall and slender man, despite his old age. She had to admit, his younger brother was much more attractive and nicer than he was.

"You are to be up and in the training grounds promptly at five o'clock. We will be conditioning for three hours until breakfast, giving you an hour break before we begin training at twelve. We'll do that until four o'clock, when you are released into your studies."

Was he out of his freaking mind? Nine brutal hours of training and then the rest of her day was dedicated for studying? He was a psychopath!

As she turned around to be led to her sleeping chambers, the French King called out her name.

"By the way, this will be the last time you will hear any of the Chinese language spoken here. I shall only speak to you in French. You'll just have to catch on."

With that, the man dismissed her.

* * *

A/N: Whoa! This is the longest chapter I have ever written. Tell me what you think in a review. 3


	4. Questions sur une mère disparus

Soft, flickering lit the new noble's chambers. Sima Mei Lin moved in closer, unsure if she was to knock or not. If there was light and an open door, it meant she could knock and ask for permission to enter. If there was no light, then it meant that her father was asleep and that she was to return to her own chamber.

"My daughter is now thousands of _li _from here. Does this please you?" Sima Shi asked his new wife with authority and power.

Lady Wu Lin stood with her long brown hair cascading down her shoulders, wearing nothing but a golden serpent upper armband.

"_Our _daughter. We are now married, so I will treat her as if she is my own." she replied with a clear voice. "But yes, I'm pleased that she's gone. Our daughter was getting much too talkative for her own good. That mouth, if it had not been retained, would soon be the death of her. Sending her away was for her own benefit."

A tiny bubble of laughter gurgled up Mei Lin's throat. Without warning, the door swung open with a loud thud, the wood crashing against the marble walls. Sima Mei Lin yelped in surprise before she felt her blood trickle down her neck, the tip of her father's blade at her throat.

"Who dares to spy on us?" he roared. He looked down at her, like an angry Qulin.

The cool metal moved away from her throat once he realized who she was.

"Mei Lin?"

Wu Lin made a noise in her throat that Mei Lin could not quite understand. Shi grabbed her upper arm and dragged her into the room as if she weighed no more than a feather. He let her go and slammed the door behind her so hard, the wine goblets on the wooden coffee table.

"Girl," he growled. "What are you doing? You almost got yourself killed. Mei Lin took in a ragged breath, trying not to pee. How could she embarrass herself like that in front of her step mother? Urine began to trickle down her legs without warning.

"Here," Wu Lin said to Shi as she tossed him a robe. He quickly slid it on, and it was then that Mei Lin realized that he had been naked as well. Wu Lin was quick to do the same. Like a graceful cat, Wu Lin settled herself on an anteroom couch in one elegant movement.

Sima Shi went over to the small coffee table and picked up his goblet before taking several big gulps of the drink.

"Can we be of assistance to you, Lady Sima?"

"N-No ma'am. I was just wandering around the castle."

"Where is your escort?" Shi cut in.

"I do not have one."

"Why?"

"I know the castle well enough. I do not need one."

Wu Lin raised a threatening eyebrow but said nothing else.

"Come here, my precious jewel," Shi said to his daughter as he sat down on a bench covered in silks and furs. He picked her up and placed her on his lap. He had hazy, blood shot eyes. It was obvious to the child that he had been drinking a lot of wine. He began to inspect her small wound.

"There isn't much harm done. I apologize."

She quickly stood up and bowed. "It is I who should be asking for forgiveness, father, for I should not have sneaked up on you."

Before he or his wife had a chance to notice that she had peed herself, she turned her back and ran out of the room.

* * *

The cool gold colored sheets soothed the little princess. She was due in the courtyard in an hour. Pulling herself away from the sheets, Sima Xian stood up and stretched. Today was the start of something new. She would now know what sweating was like when you were exercising.

She cringed at the thought. Girls weren't supposed to get sweaty. How would a woman ever find a husband if she sweat more than a man?

She quickly bathed and dressed before allowing her maids to escort her to the courtyard. When she got there, the tall, brown-haired man was waiting on her. Had she been late to her very first training day?

"You are five minutes late, girl," he spat in French. Xian just stared at the man. She had no idea what he was saying nor did she care to know. The man stared at her for a moment before sighing. "Stretch," he said calmly in the language Xian understood. She quickly did what he said to do.

"We're doing a light jog to start. We'll run around the palace six times. I'll allow you to stop running and do pushups before you start running ladders. Go."

* * *

The sun beat down on her as she started to sweat and her legs started to ache. She had been out there running around for seven hours. This king, he was a madman!

Xian was running around the large, beautiful palace, a routine she's still getting used to. She came to a stop as she rounded the corner, back to her starting point. That was twelve. She put her hands on her hips and rested for a second before dropping and doing twenty more pushups. That was to be the last set.

When she stood up, the king's brother Jacques was walking towards her. On his arm was a woman with long, brown hair cascading down her back. She certainly did not look like all the other French woman here at court. Instead, she looked more…Chinese. Was she? Was the beautiful woman really Chinese? Were there more like her here than just Xian?

"Good afternoon, my lady. I hope you do realize that it is about to be four o'clock?" he asked in Chinese. At least he understood that it took time to learn a language.

"It is?"

The woman next to him laughed. "Yes. Go ahead and go inside. Tidy yourself up and make yourself ready for your lessons."

Without a proper goodbye, Xian walked off back into the palace.

* * *

Fu and his father walked along the side of a canal together silently. Little Sima Fu was still in shock at the beauty of Rome. He suddenly thought about what he was missing. Where was his mom?

Fu looked up at Zhang with curious eyes. "Daddy…what happened to mommy? Where is she?" the young boy asked his father. The question caused Zhang to frown.

"…Well she…," he sighed. "I am sorry Fu. You wouldn't understand," Zhang answers sadly, causing Fu to look up at him with dejected eyes. "…Please daddy, I want to know…" Tears began to form in the toddler's eyes.

"…After you were born, she got sick and had to leave this world. Of course she didn't want to leave you. She wanted to see you grow up, but…" Zhang's voice trailed off causing Fu to look up at his father again; however, this time he chose not to speak, noticing the tears starting to form in his father's eyes…"

"Thank you, daddy…"

* * *

A/N: Sorry about not updating May 19th like I was supposed to. I was (as usual) being lazy. However, May 19th is still, and always will be, a special day to me because the world lost its 2nd best Queen. Long Live Queen Anne Boleyn!

Oh, and the woman with the long brown hair is Jacques' wife Lu Xin. She is an OC that belongs to Diao Lover. Thank you for allowing me to use her.

Now, I realize that this Fanfic doesn't seem like it should be rated M, but trust me, it **has **to be. In the next two or so chapters, I will start having a lot of sex scenes in this. So if you know that you shouldn't be reading this or you (for any reason) cannot handle sex scene, don't read the sex scenes. The rest should be fine until we get to part two. Thanks, readers!


	5. Rise of the Sima

A rising growl from the distant sky came down like violence upon their souls. A large crack echoed across the room as lightning returned thunder's dark call. Candlelight flickered as all of Sima Yi's children stood around a table, looking at each other, knowing what they were about to speak of would be considered treason. Their father sat on a dais at the head of the room overlooking at listening to them.

"Cao Shuang, as we all can see, will soon start regency," Sima Shi began. "That will easily prove to be a problem."

Sima Kui, Sima Lun's twin sister, rolled her eyes and continued admiring her nails. "That's obvious, Shi. What did dad tell you about being obvious?"

He rolled his eyes and continued. "However, the emperor _might _make you two share power."

Sima Lun and Sima Zhao nodded in approval. Yi stared at his children for and long time. Suddenly, a loud laugh shook the room like the thunder outside.

"That, Shi, would cause unnecessary trouble."

"With all due respect father, Cao Shuang is a fool. As brother said, for him to be a regent would very well prove problematic."

"Doing away with him would just clear an obstacle out of our path to superiority," Shi added.

Yi smirked and looked at Zhao, who snoozed with his feet propped up on the table. His father frowned.

"What do you think of all this, Zhao?"

Nothing.

"Zhao?"

Annoyed by her stepbrother's laziness, Kui snatched the meat bun Sima Shi was currently chowing down on, and threw it as hard as she could at Zhao; who lazily opened his eyes to see the cooked pieces of pork covering him.

"Hey!"

"Wake your dumb-butt up! That's why you're dad's least favorite."

"Kui," Lun warned, "don't go there."

"Leave, Kui. Your foolishness is not needed here. Go be a mindless little girl somewhere else." Shi growled.

She shrugged it off and stood to leave. "Whatever. It's not like I desired to be here anyways. Later."

Shi stood dumbfounded before looking at his brother. "Well Zhao," he spat his name, "What is your opinion on the matter?"

"Well, um… Sure he's a problem, I guess. But why do we need to do anything? Let someone else do it."

Yi sighed, agitated about his son's laziness.

"Because no one has the balls to stand up to him. For they fear execution," Lun cut in as he glared at his brother.

"So it's settled then. We will finish off Cao Shuang when the time is right," Yi states. Everyone nods. "Very well, you are dismissed."

XX

Xian slowly disembarked from the ship, shivering as Russia's cold winter chill nipped at her face. She looks back as the French royal family joined her on the mainland. Xian looked at the buildings in amazement as snow fell from the sky.

Her cousin, Jacqueline, walked up behind her; wrapping herself tighter in her thick, wool shawl. "Cold isn't it, Catherine?" Xian cringed at the name. She hated how she had just been renamed like she had been nameless when she got there. And then, to top it, she had been forced to learn a multitude of languages in a short amount of time. She had learned French in a matter of weeks and was then forced to learn Italian and English. She was now in the process of learning Russian.

"Why are we even here?" she asked in flawless French.

"Our alliance with Russia ended when Uncle Julien died last year. It needs to be renewed before war strikes." Xian rolled her eyes. "I doubt that Russia would go to war with a country that has the Roman Empire as an ally." Jacqueline laughed hysterically.

"Russians are loyal, which is why they make the best of allies. Besides," she smirked and lowered her voice, "they're finer than wine." Both girls laughed.

A heavy built man walked up to her Uncle Jacques, who was now the new King of France and her new instructor, and his wife, now identified as Queen Lu Xin, and spoke in Russian. Xian frowned. Just the fact that she could only understand bits and pieces of what they were saying annoyed her and caused her to dislike the man.

"Jacqueline, I thought you had your eye on that one boy. Oh what was his name? Was it something like…_Antoine? _Or was it something else?"

Jacqueline glared at the child. "I do _not _like Antoine. Catalina likes him. I think they shall marry one day."

Xian frowned. "I doubt it. Even if they did, she'd probably die during childbirth. That boy's head is as big as a boulder."

Jacqueline laughed lightly and followed her father and mother with everyone else.

* * *

The trees swayed gently to the light breeze. People strolled along the cobblestone street, red dirt occasionally flying off of the ground and onto peoples clothing. Children passed laughing happily. The sun shined like a spotlight onto everyone's head in the blue sky.

Sima Fu sat under a tree as his father slept in the shade next to him; his face serene and calm. "Hi there," a girl's voice said quietly causing Fu to look around until he saw the young girl. She seemed to be the same age as him. She casually sat next to him.

"Who are you?" the girl asked. "My name is Sima Fu," Fu hesitantly answered, somewhat confused as to who the girl was. "Who are you?" Fu asked slowly.

"Mary. …My father was from England and my mother lives here in Rome." she replied quickly and happily.

"Oh…"

Mary looked out into the distance. "I have to go now. It was nice meeting you!" the girl says getting up.

"You too!" Fu says with a smile, knowing finally he had made a friend in Rome.

"Hey Fu…were you just talking to someone?" Zhang asked as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. Fu smiled. "Yes daddy, this nice girl came up and asked who I was and if we wanted to be friends. She seemed nice." Fu said with a smile causing his father to smile as well. "Good to hear. Come...lets go get some lunch."

* * *

Xian walked through the large hallway. She wouldn't lie; Russia was beautiful. Despite the annoying way she could only understand half of what they were saying.

Suddenly, a man ran up to her and pushed her down.

He spoke in broken French.

"Give the jewels!" he yelled and tugged fiercely at her necklace. Blood began to ooze out of her neck when he broke the necklace off of her throat, only for the jewelry to shatter.

He continued screaming at her to give him what valuables she had while holding a knife to her. Sima Xian continued to kick and scream.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Xian said as she turned to run but by then the theif grabbed her by the collar wih one hand while checking her pockets with the other.

"Get off of her!" a voice cried out as a man ran up to the robber, striking him in the face before punching out each of his pressure points and planting his foot into the man's face. "Here, let me help you," the teen said as he picked up the things the thief dropped and gave it to the little girl.

"Thank you…" Xian whispered as she took the few small pieces of jewelry. She gave the teen some of the diamonds that had been sprawled out across the marble floor as thanks for helping her.

"Who are you," Xian quickly demanded; still a little shaken up. The boy frowned and bowed slightly. "My name is Vladimir Palach. I apologize for the problem. Russia is very poverty-stricken at the moment and people will do anything to get by. _This_ man chose the wrong path…" Vladimir spoke flawless French, but in a thick Russian accent.

He was tall with short black hair. His face was clean shaven. He was medium built. She could tell that he didn't come from a very wealthy place, but rather the exact opposite.

"Tell me, _Vladimir, _how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Do you have an occupation?"

"Not yet, however I'm looking to join the military."

She looked him over and shook her head. "I like you, Monsieur Palach; however, your chances of joining the military shall not be large. Stay with me and I shall give you a job in my army."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't refuse.

"Now, get me back to where I'm supposed to be."

* * *

A/N: This is the last chapter that will take place in Europe. I really want to get started on the Rated M-ness of the story.

Diao Lover: Thank you for the review; however, you weren't supposed to feel bad for Fu (he is annoying as kid. I was trying to make that happen) but feel bad for Zhang. Oh and I finally didn't forget about Kui!

My Emperor: Thanks for the review. Now stop rushing me and update more.

Element Life: Thanks!


	6. Xian the Whore

**THIS IS A WARNING TO EVERYONE WHO IS ABOUT TO READ THIS CHAPTER! THERE IS A VERY LONG SEX SCENE IN THIS CHAPTER. DO NOT READ IF YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO OR YOU CANNOT HANDLE IT!**

**Thank you!**

* * *

Fu and Zhang stood on the deck of their ship as they came closer and closer to China.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look we're home!" Fu squealed while pointing to the approaching mainland.

Zhang looked down at his son but said nothing as all of his memories came back to him. Xing Cai, Jiang Hui, the brother he despised… All of the stress he had felt flew back into him causing the smile he had held through Italy to disappear into its normal frown.

"...Daddy?" Fu said looking up at his father who was staring into space frowning.

I'm sorry Fu, I was lost in thought." Zhang apologized and took his son back to their cabin to gather their things. "Come now, son. Let us go home."

The two disembarked from their ship after it docked in the harbor, greeted by Sima Yi. Both bowed to him.

"Where's that little brat niece of yours?"

Zhang frowned and sent Fu inside. He turned his attention back to his father. "I'm sorry?"

"Where is Xian? She was supposed to arrive with you and Fu. Did you lose her on your way back or did she commit suicide due to depression?"

He glared at his father? Had his asshole brother turned their father into an insolent cretin as well? "Xian shall be here in maximum two weeks."

"And why is she not with you? You were the one entrusted with caring for her-"

"No father. I was not the one entrusted with caring for her. The Gods gave her to that fat ass Shi. Even then, he shoved his responsibilities into her servants' hands."

"Hold your tongue, Zhang."

Sima Zhang raised an eyebrow, as if to challenge his father.

"Tell me, father, why is it that _you _have come to greet her instead of _him? _Have you become his assistant now?"

Before Yi had the chance to retaliate, Zhang bowed and walked off.

* * *

Zhuge Dan made his way down the corridor into the crowded banquet hall. Everyone had already gathered to celebrate the arrival of Sima Fu.

Dan sighed. He didn't want to be here but he had no choice so he took his seat at one of the smaller tables and started talking with a few of the subordinates around him until one thing caught his eye: Sima Xian sneaking past the guards and moving towards the table.

His heart began to thumb wildly in his chest as he tensed up. Dan smiled at her slightly when she took a seat next to him.

"Hello again, Danny. I trust things have been going well here during my absence?" she whispered to him, being sure to keep attention off herself.

"What are you doing here?" Dan asked looking her in the eyes. She had acquired cold eyes as well as a foreign accent.

"I wanted to come and join the party…and, of course, see you" Xian says, raising her voice a little bit and blushing slightly.

Dan looked at her, eyebrows raised but saying nothing. What was wrong with this new Xian?

"I was thinking we could go somewhere…private and talk," his crush cooed with a smirk as she moved to his ear, "...please"

Dan looked at her "You're not suggesting we-"

"Yes I am. Now let's go…unless you're chicken?" she accuses with a smirk still plastered on her face.

"Xian, I-"

"Xian," a familiar voice interrupted. The two turned to see Sima Shi staring down at them. As Dan stood up to bow, he noticed his infatuation's face harden.

Shi took a moment to examine his oldest child. Her face held a very guarded and impassive expression as she bowed to him. Of course, he hadn't wasted any income on her due to the fact that she was so far away. Her hair was pulled away from her neck into a curly style.

Under her long black traveler's cloak, she wore a turquoise dress that matched perfectly with his armor.

She looked so grown up and so independent.

"Rise."

Xian stood and looked up at her father fearlessly.

"Master Sima Shi," she addressed in a grave voice.

"You look very grown up, daughter."

By now everyone had noticed that she was back. Sima Nanyang, who had been busy feeding her three-year-old sister, Sima Xing, looked up at her twin. Her hate for her grew even more at that moment. Sima Gaoling, who had been flirting with Xiahou Ba, waved at Xian.

Shi turned and offered his daughter his arm, in which she rebelliously took it. She glanced at Dan. She saw the disappointment in his eyes and frown before walking out of the dining hall with her father. He took her to his chambers.

"What is it? I was in the middle of a conversation."

He scoffed. "Perhaps your little trip didn't do much good after all."

"Well then I guess you shouldn't have sent me."

"Maybe if I whip you more, you'd learn to hold your tongue."

Xian crossed her arms defiantly. "What do you want?"

"We have discussed about sending you to your own castle…"

"Here in Wei?"

"Yes."

"With my friends?

"Of course."

"Keep talking."

"You will be able to appoint them positions and stuff. Basically you will run your own kingdom."

"And tell me, father," she mocked as she picked up an apple from the fruit basket on his desk. "What good will this do? What are you trying to teach me?"

He grabbed an apple as well. "It will teach you how to govern a household."

She bit into the apple. "So next time, you'll be telling me to have a baby, right? Well I think that I should tell you that I don't want any kids. It's hard enough with Fu as my shadow."

He laughed. "Perhaps…"

* * *

Sima Xian sat on the edge of her bed brushing out her hair. She'd removed her armor and wore now just her loose under clothes, held in place by her belt and wrist guards. There was really no point in staying armed anymore since her father had sent them here two months ago. Besides, it was uncomfortable and in the few hours since Zhuge Dan had killed the assassin who had tried to kill her, and had been promoted to Captain, it had almost become as if they'd occupied the town. None of the other guards dared ever to make contact with them, and the townsfolk did whatever they told them to.

The Captain had yet to report back to her, but she assumed, correctly, he was busy.

Truthfully Xian didn't mind. Though she'd never admit it upon pain of death, and you couldn't tell if tried, she was a little nervous. Seducing men had never really been her cup of tea; but then again she had always hated tea.

Mei Lin was the one who always had men crawling over each other to get near her, and she'd been rendered nearly useless by the shirtless state of Danny. Of course the princess had admired the view herself, but you wouldn't have known if she told you.

The problem was she couldn't get that image out of her head. Dan, standing war fan in hand, about to strike down and finish his enemy, looking at her, murder in his eyes, silently begging her to let him kill, pleading with her to let him murder, beseeching her to let him finish the man before him. Even now it sent her heart to her throat and she had to concentrate to control the thing.

Now she couldn't allow herself to lose control, not if she wanted to make Zhuge Dan hers. She took some comfort in the fact that she didn't truthfully need to seduce him, if need be she was still his commanding officer. Truthfully didn't want to take him. She wanted him to offer himself to her, to be hers utterly, heart, mind, soul, and body.

But how to obtain that, Mei Lin customarily had boys virtually beseeching her to take their hearts and bodies, but the Captain had shown little, if any, interest in her alluring giggles, and if the seductress were to be believed, he only had eyes for Xian.

No boy had ever liked her for any other reason than if they married her they would become the next regent and Zhuge Dan had no chance of that ever happening. He wasn't a full blooded Weion. Why would someone like that have any interest in her? Though she was beautiful, there was little chance of denying that, and it was doubtful there was another girl half as powerful as her; these weren't generally things that boys took into account. While her beauty would be enough to interest them once they noticed her power, they either attempted to control her, or ran for the hills, and both generally resulted in her igniting part of their clothing.

But Zhuge Dan had already shown his willingness to be controlled by her. Even during his duel, he had turned to her for permission to deal the death blow. It was hard to conceive being much more subservient than that, at least in Xian's mind. He was perfect, powerful, wrathful, obedient, intelligent, and vicious. It was too bad he wasn't a noble, had he only been the child of a war hero, then perhaps her father wouldn't mind.

Either way it was of no consequence, while Xian wasn't in the habit of going against her father, what people didn't know wouldn't hurt him, or her family's reputation.

There was a knock at her door, she knew it was the Captain, Gaoling always knocked in some odd pattern, Mei Lin only knock once, and Vladimir just didn't give a damn about manners and just walked in. "The door is open Captain." They'd given up their little rouse shortly after the guards stopped trying to guard things from them.

Dan stepped around the door closing it quietly behind him as the princess slowly brushed out her hair. He still wasn't wearing his shirt, but now held it in one hand as he bowed to her. "You, wanted to see me, Xian?"

Xian frowned and put down her hairbrush. She hated when he forgot to address her formally. "Yes, Danny, I wanted to talk to you about your little outburst today." The princess stood up and began slowly circling the boy like a vulture, her hands neatly folded behind her back. "While I can understand your reasons, it was dangerous and reckless. You put or entire mission in danger simply because you couldn't control yourself."

"I know… and I apologize, Lady Sima…" He bowed his head, turning to face her, as she paused in her circling. "Though if I may explain my actions… That man had it coming…" He growled a little and Xian was reminded of the vicious nature that lay beneath his submissive skin.

"That may be so, but despite how much we might want to, we can't go around slaughtering every jerk we come across." Xian smirked a little and returned to walking a circle around the Zhuge Dan.

"I know… it was merely that…" Dan took a deep breath and visible calmed himself. "That guard got to me… I won't let it happen again, I apologize, princess." He rose and turned to leave.

But Xian stepped between him and the door. "Captain…" She looked at him in what she hopped appeared to be apprehension. "I did not dismiss you yet."

"Forgive me-"

Xian pulled him to her, guiding his lips to hers, and kissed him, softly, calmly. He closed his eyes and submitted; he was hers, heart, mind, body, and soul.

Xian broke away and walked slowly back to her bed and sat down. The princess smiled and held out one of her hands, just stretching it out for him to take. "Crawl to me."

He crawled over to her, unable to find the strength to hesitate, and laid his head against her outstretched palm. She laid her hand on his head, and began gently stroking his hair.

She slid her hand down under his chin, and raised him up to look her in the eye again. Xian pulled him into another chaste kiss.

The princess closed her eyes. She broke the kiss and opened her eyes just as he did. He looked up at her, breathless and flushed. She smirked at him and licked her lips, guiding him over onto the bed next to her, still controlling him with a pair of fingers under his chin. She guided him onto the bed next to her, and then with a curl of her fingers laid him down.

She threw a leg over his, straddling him under her. He panted up at her breathlessly, but smiled. Sima Xian leaned down; pressing her hands against his stomach as she licked his chin, then kissed him deeply. This time he leaned up into it, curling his arms around her, not really embracing her out of affection, but clinging to her, for need of her strength.

She broke the kiss, and leaned back, pressing her hands against his stomach as his slid down to her hips. Xian smirked deviously, as she slipped her hands slowly over his bare stomach, to his belt. Her nimble fingers had it undone in half a moment, and he arched under her that she might remove it entirely. The princess tossed his belt behind her, and privately hated herself for the rush that she got from him arching underneath her.

She pressed her palm against his belly and wearing a siren smile slowly untied her own sash. She kept herself from biting her lip as she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it behind her, exposing her chest to the boy that lay under her. He attempted to say something, but a pair of Xian's fingers pressed over his lips prevented him.

Once again the princess leaned down and licked his lips, she'd never truly kissed a boy before, this boy was hers, and though some part of her hated herself for it, she delighted in taking tastes of his lips. She brought his bottom lip between her teeth as she raised herself up a little, letting her slacks slid down over her rear, and down to her knees.

The Captain stared up, still breathless, at the princess, nude aside from her black underwear. She licked his lip where a small drop of blood was forming; it died her lips ever darker. Xian smirked. She hooked her fingers in under the rim of his pants, and, raising herself a little, tugged them down.

He didn't even move to stop her, too much given over to his desire for her to care. She pulled his off, and then sent hers to join them. Both of them now in nothing more than crotch coverings, Xian straddled Zhuge Dan again, grinning down at him almost dangerously, as she licked the blood from his lips once again, before kissing him deeply, pressing herself down on top of him. His arms curled around her, gently holding her to him, as he panted breathlessly beneath the princess.

"Princess…" He looked up at her, eyes filled with, confusion, desire, and loyalty.

Sima Xian smirked and rose up off him, her knees pressed into the bedding on either side of him, her thumb hooked just under the waistline of her underwear. "Please Dan…" She pulled them down and kicked them off, before doing the same to his last garment. "Stop calling me 'princess'."

She lowered herself onto his stomach, despite the apparent shock that flashed across the Captain's face as he was stripped of his last article of clothing, and reached behind her, cupping his manhood in her hand gently.

The princess rolled him around in her hand and felt him jump. She hated how much fun she was having, toying with the naked boy under her, but at the same time, she was just getting started. She took him in her hand, and, careful not to injure him with her needle sharp nails, began stroking his length. He began to pant, and she leaned down, licking his bleeding lip as she stole from him another kiss, something she was quickly growing to enjoy.

He swelled in her palm, and she licked her teeth. Despite herself she could feel a warm sensation building between her legs. Xian tried to ignore it as she kissed the Zhuge Dan. She could feel his chest rise and fall under her, his heart beat violently beneath his chest, her own body struggling against her control to match his.

She broke the kiss. He panted under her. She released him and he arched toward her. She sat back, he sat up. "Xian…" He whispered, breathless to her as she sat, quite literally in his lap, her hand resting quietly on him.

She could feel the heat of his body; she could sense the desire in his blood. She wanted it as well, but she didn't want to submit to herself. Xian licked her lips. "Dan…" She leaned in and kissed him rubbing his shaft with her fingers lightly. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the kiss; she savored the feeling of being held so tight, so needed, by such strong arms. It felt like he'd never let her go, like he couldn't, and she loved it.

She cupped his chin in her hand, and raised him to look her in the eye. "Dan…" She ran her thumb over the wound in his lip, and licked her own. She struggled with a proclamation of love. It just seemed, too unlike her. She wasn't some school girl, who fell for the first boy not to run in fear of her. But still… there was something about the Captain, something flickering behind his eyes, something she couldn't bring herself to be indifferent toward. She drew in a deep breath. "No one can ever learn of this." He nodded to her, not that he really had much choice, and she did have his manhood in her hand. "If anyone ever does, either you, or they will be executed based on rank, and anyone who would care is ranked higher than you Captain..." She almost sounded worried; she was starting to give herself second thoughts, if her father found out…

"Xian…" Zhuge Dan whispered to her. "I won't let anything happen… that could possibly hurt you." He held her to him a little more, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and leaned against her, pressing his lips against her collar.

Xian smiled. "Of course you won't Dan." She guided him up to look at her in the eye again, and kissed him, lightly lowering herself down onto him. She bit his lip again, it stung. She'd broken her maidenhead long ago, practicing high kicks as part of her bending, but she'd never been with a man before. It hurt more than she'd been expecting, but she managed to take him in his entirety, she wasn't about to let herself stop because of something as trivial as pain.

She held herself there, her hands on Dan's shoulders as she blinked, getting used to the feeling of being filled. She almost was out of breath, but she was never out of breath. Xian looked up at the Captain; he had deep, genuine concern in his eyes, the kind that never been pointed toward her before. She smiled at him, and sliding a hand up to the back of his head, leaned up kissing him, tasting his blood on her lips, and slowly beginning to rock her hips against his.

Xian pressed her hand against his chest, and pushed him down to lay out under her. She slowly rocked her hips over him, moving him around inside her. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the feeling, seeking to control it. She arched her head back and sped in her rocking. The princess tossed her head back, and concentrated on her breathing.

This was, new. This was fun. This was…sex. Xian smirked; she could learn to enjoy this.

Dan rested his hands on her hips; he had his head tossed back as well. He body was wrapped around him like a vise. Of course it was no surprise; every part of the princess's body was trained, taught, perfect.

Sima Xian rolled her head, she grinned down at her boy. His face washed in a wave of pleasure. She licked her lips, and then leaned down and licked his. She liked the taste of his blood, she didn't quite know why, but she was just sort of going with it anyway. She couldn't help but smirk as a moan escaped his lips as she rode him. She rocked her hips against his a little harder, and was pleased to discover a greater sensation for it.

The princess licked his lips again, letting his blood tint her own scarlet. She continued to rock herself over him; he clung to her, and almost trembled beneath her. She loved it, the passion, the fire in their blood, the burning heat between them. She rode him harder, stealing the very breath from his lungs.

Her hands pressed against his chest, holding her up as she cracked their hips together. She could feel him sliding up inside of her, pressing against her inner walls, and she could feel her body clinging to his, refusing to let it leave her only to invite him even deeper with the next roll of her hips. It was, horribly lovely. Xian hated how it stirred her, tossing her prized control to the winds as she panted over him, but at the same time she loved it, the passion, the fire, she wanted it, and it was hers.

She licked at his blood stained lips, panting lightly as she pressed herself against him harder with each passing moment. He leaned up and, pressing his palm against the back of her head kissed her, the first time he'd truly kissed her, Xian pressed her lips back against his, hating it, and loving it at the same time. She clung to his shoulders, not for physical reasons, or for emotional, but because she wanted to. She wanted to cling to someone, to have someone.

And she had him. She had him, this boy, struggling for breath under her, this man, deep inside her, she had him, and he was hers. Xian pushed herself up and smiled down at him rocking back and forth over him, not her normal, devious, dark smile, but a sweet, caring smile, the smile of a lover.

He leaned up to her, pushing himself up with one arm, the other curling around her as she rocked over him. He began to thrust up into her movements, she almost yipped as he did so, it was, new, but it was enjoyable. He leaned in and kissed the side of her neck, she rolled her head to one side, and he kissed it again… and again, not quite the longing kisses he returned to her before. These were, passionate, vigorous, loving…

He panted in her ear, thrusting up to meet her hips each time she rolled them down onto him. His hot breathes rolling out over her naked flesh. She rolled her head back, and took a deep breath, letting her eyes slid closed. She felt something building within her, she was no fool, she knew what it was, but she didn't know what to expect, other than more…

Her eyes fell open, her core tightening, she let it happen. The Captain groaned quietly against her chest, speeding himself for, whatever reason. Xian's eyes hazed, she felt herself become warm, and loose. Bliss washed over her, and she released her breath, it rolled out over her lips, as a large shapeless plum of azure flames. Dan held her to him while she regained control over her muscles. Were he anyone else, she would have had second thoughts about allowing herself to become so, languid, in his grip. But she trusted the Captain, perhaps he was, the only one she trusted to such an extent.

She regained herself, and rejoined her boy in their passionate embrace. She leaned in, and licked his lips, almost like she was, asking him for a kiss, before pressing her lips against his. Letting their breaths mix as they moved together. She felt him tense within her, and she knew he was nearing his finish. But she didn't want it to end, not just yet. Sima Xian dragged her needle sharp nails across the Captain's back. He broke the kiss, his features, for just a moment, showing pain, before returning to the fervent desire for her. He kissed her, and didn't seem to care as his back bled over her fingertips.

Sima Xian licked at his teeth, and he hers. Their kiss not so much broke, as failed, for he needed breathe before she wanted to release him. He panted against her, his forehead pressed against hers. She licked as his lips, and struggled to keep her own breath as they twisted together. "X-Xian…" He muttered breathlessly, and she felt him tense within her again. She had known that it would have to end. She leaned to him, pressing her hands against his chest, and pushing him down under her as she gnawed on his lip one last time. Before she pulled herself from him, and he climaxed moaning.

Xian lay on top of her boy for a moment, catching her breath quickly. Their bodies were hot, and the room stank with their scents. She was, taken aback to find herself as tired as she was, but she was not truly surprised. She rolled to one side, lying next to Zhuge Dan, his arm resting over her. She laid a hand on his chest. "Let's get to bed." She said quietly, and within a moment the two were curled together tenderly, the Captain's arms wrapped about Xian as she held him to her. A simple flick of her fingers removed the torchlight from the room, and the familiar, almost green, twilight settled in. Though for some reason this time she found it much more, enjoyable.

* * *

"What the hell did you do with him last night?"

Xian frowned as Vladimir questioned her. The two sat alone eating breakfast in her room.

"Calm down, Vlad. It wasn't anything serious. Don't get your panties in a bunch. He was…timid."

Vladimir frowned. He hated that fucker Zhuge Dan. Not only had he go a steal Xian from right under his nose, but now he started Xian to insulting her guard. He wanted to kill that bastard.

"Timid, humph? Well maybe next time you'll learn to stick with what you know is good."

Xian smirked and ate some more rice. "I see no proof that you're as good as you seem to think you are."

He smirked as well and stood up.

"Lie down on the bed like the little whore you are and I'll show you."

"…Will do…"

* * *

A/N: Let the whoring begin.


	7. Fu the Badass

"I don't think it's such a good idea to have Xian around so many boys. It could encourage her to do…_naughty _things. You understand, right?

Sima Zhang looked up from his papers into the eyes of Wu Lin. His blood boiled every time he saw his brother's whore.

"Excuse me?"

She leaned on his desk, showing off her ample bosom to him. "You know maybe have her rooms relocated away from the boys. And perhaps you could replace that man who guards Xian. Have a female guard my daughter-"

He cut her off. "Your daughter, huh? Last time I checked, you were trying to get rid of her."

He walked to a cabinet and grabbed a bottle of wine. Wu Lin placed her hand on his free hand. "Please?"

He moved away again. "Leave, Lady Wu. I will not succumb to your…whorism."

She removed her hand. "I am no whore; however," she pressed her body against his, sliding her hand down to his crotch. "I am an opportunist…"

He removed her from him. "Get the fuck out of my fucking office or I swear I chop your limbs off and feed them to Meatbun, bitch. "

She scoffed and walked to the exit. "Don't be surprised when that harlot's daughter ends up pregnant. You obviously can't see that she's a slut in the making when everyone else can. But that okay. Just be prepared to take care of a child, because my husband and I will not!"

"Bitch I said get out of my damn office."

* * *

"Get back here little boy! Fu! Give me back my sword!"

Fu ran into Xian's room, looking through all of Xian's belongings and making her room a mess. He giggled when he heard her banging on the door.

"This isn't funny, Sima Fu! Let me in or I swear to God, I'll cut your head off!"

Fu ran around the room cutting things with the sword until he found her closet. He dropped the sword almost immediately. He swung the doors open wildly and took all of her dresses and threw them on the ground.

Finding a golden box with silver stones embedded in it, Fu lifted the top of it carelessly. Inside was a golden diamond necklace. A mischievous smirk spread across his face. He took the priceless necklet and ran around the room with, not paying attention as it snapped and shattered on the floor.

The door suddenly slammed open as Sima Xian ran into the room. Her face turned red in anger.

"You…you ruined my room! You little fucking bastard! I'm going to kill you-"

"No you won't."

Xian spun around and met the cold gaze of her uncle, Sima Zhang. By the look on his face, he was furious.

"He tore my room apart and broke my necklace!"

"I don't give a damn about what he did. If I catch you yelling at my son again, I'll beat your ass. You hear me? I'll beat you upside the head until the white meat shows."

He looked at Fu, who had nearly pissed his pants in fear of his father's wrath. "Clean this fucking room or I'm going to beat both your asses."

* * *

Vladimir walked through quickly down the halls of the castle in search of Xian. "So you're Xian's new bodyguard, humph?" Mei Cai, Sima Xian's best friend, had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She moved in front of the teenager. "I heard that you're quite good at a certain thing. How'd you like to show me your talent?" She spoke in a seductive tone with a little smirk on her face as she ran her hand down his chest. She stopped when he gripped her wrist and pushed her back.

"Hey kid-"

"You son of a bitch!" Cai yelled and tried to slap him. His quick hands again stopped her.

"I really don't think it's a good idea to piss Princess Xian off. And aren't you a little too young to act like a prostitute?"

"Don't call me that! You're the man whore."

He laughed at her. "Man whore? Is that honestly the worst you have?"

Annoyed, Cai flipped him off. "Screw you! I didn't want you anyways."

"Aw, you've hurt my feelings."

She looked him deeply in the eyes. "Please…?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not a chance in hell."

* * *

"Hurry up, Lun! I don't have all day!" Sima Kui yelled at her brother as carried all of her things back to into Shouchun castle.

"I'm trying! Maybe if you'd help-"

"Uh no. Do I look like I want to mess my nails up? I didn't think so." She stated, twirling her hair around in her fingers. "You're going to make me late to get my facial with Diao Ning if you don't hurry up.

Sima Lun struggled up the steps, toting twenty-seven bags of lotions and perfumes. He suddenly fell once up the steps. Kui snarled.

"Get up, you lazy boy! My stuff isn't going to get to my room on its own." She rolled her eyes and easily picked everything up. "You're so lazy."

* * *

Xian stood with her rapier pointed at Sima Fu, a deadly glare on her face. Both were panting like crazy. She couldn't understand how he had managed to keep up with her.

Their spar was to first blood but neither of them had even scratched the other. With a newfound adrenaline, Xian charged first. She stabbed and slashed at her younger cousin, but each of her attacks was blocked. Finding an opening in one of her stabs, Fu flipped over her sword and brought his sword to her cheek, leaving an angry cut on the porcelain skin. Blood trickled down her face slowly, declaring her much younger cousin the victor of the spar.

He quickly forgot all about the win when he saw the blood still on his crush's face.

"Are you okay, Xiany?"

She glared at him. "Leave me be."

"But I was-"

"Go. Now."

The boy sadly walked away, leaving his blade behind.

"You got your ass kicked by your cousin. How funny…"

Zhuge Dan mocked as he walked up to his lover.

"Shut up, you're lame."

He kissed her passionately. "We could celebrate your defeat."

She smirked. "Or I could tie you up?"

"I dare you."


	8. Whispers and Confessions

**Any translation that you might need, unless you're a badass from Russia or you know Russian, is at the end of the paragraph(s). Thank you.**

* * *

The cool breeze whipped at his face as Sima Yi looked out at the stars. It had now been eighteen years since his lover; Liu Xing had been brutally executed. It was his fault. She had warned him that the path he wished for her and Zhang He to exclusively take had been set up for an ambush. He didn't listen. Why should he have? He was Sima Yi; THE Sima Zhongda. He was a wolf, the epitome of knowledge and stamina. He was the strategist. She was not.

"_I see that you remembered what today is, and that you thought of me."_

He cringed and the familiar coo-sounding voice behind him. He had been captivated and blinded by her for years.

_Espouse me. We'll rule the world together as Emperor and Empress. Espouse me…_

He had torn apart his marriage to Chunhua for her, only for the little bitch to abandon him when he needed her most.

"I've longed to forget about you, Lady Cao."

"_But I thought you loved me? You ruined your marriage to be with me. I loved you just as much as you loved me-"_

"You lied to me!"

The apparition took a step forward. _"Why do you assume that, my love?"_

He grew to hate her more and more by the second. "You promised something that you could not keep and murdered me. You are an attention whore and are not loved by me!"

His cruel and unforgivable words stabbed at her. He had forgotten about what they had together. Zhang Chunhua had manipulated him into believing what she thought about her. He had cast the only person who truly cared about him to the side.

However, but just the way that he spoke his sharp and evil words to her was enough to make the dead woman crack. She laughed hysterically.

"_I'm sorry, but was I not the one who forced to face the unbearable pain of eight arrows to my stomach. After that, I was forced to lie there and bleed to death. I didn't want to go down Mumen Trail! I fought you with every ounce of fight I had in me, but you still didn't care. All you cared about was finding the Shu army. It mattered not to you of who got hurt or killed. As long as you came back with Zhuge Liang or Jiang Wei's heads, you were perfectly fine. I've never mattered to you, and I love you. I do…"_

He sighed and looked away from her. She was trying to use her manipulative ways to try and fool him. To lie to him. Was that all she ever was in the first place? A liar?

"What did you come here for, Xing?"

She smirked slightly. _"To talk about your granddaughter."_

He scoffed. "I have many granddaughters since your little wimp of a daughter couldn't give my son a boy to take down Shu. At least Xing Cai could give me Fu."

His words did not move her. _"She's completed the first step towards her reign of terror."_

He gasped and turned his head one-hundred eighty degrees to her. "How dare you damn your own grandchild? Have you no shame?"

She sadly smiled. _"No. I do not. I am not the one who she will overthrow and force to sit back and watch. That will be you, Zhongda."_

"Do not call me that." He knew that she was right, like she was about everything nowadays.

She backed away slowly. _"You shall see, my beloved Zhongda. One day, Sima Xian will rule over this pathetic land with the one who is her closest ally. You will see, Zhongda, the days of the Dark Queen and Her Luminescent King will begin soon. And they will throw you to the dark."_

* * *

The river hushed the crying night sky while it cried the stars. Zhang stood alone in his private spot in the palace garden, a place where he could meditate and reflect on his life. He thought about his beloved Xing Cai. What became of her once she died? Did she miss him or was she in the arms of another?

And what about his sister and best friend, Jiang Hui? Surely she was happy with a life with Shi there to torment and hit her. He smiled at the thought of her finally being happy; something he hadn't been in years. Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes. Zhang smiled. He knew who it was and who she was with.

Sima Gaoling slowly walked out holding the hand of her newly named baby sister, Sima Xing. His nieces and his son were now his only true reason for living now.

"Uncle Zhangie…?"

Gaoling spoke in a quiet voice as not to disturb him. Sima Xing wiggled her hand from in the soft moist hand of her sister and ran to him, jumping with her arms in the air. Sima Zhang tried to smile warmly a little before picking her up.

The little girl squealed and wrapped an arm around her uncle's neck and used his shoulder as a pillow. She almost instantly fell asleep.

He looked at the other sister who was now sitting next to him with her arms wrapped around him.

"Did you need something, Gaoling?" Zhang asked with a tired look in his eyes. Gaoling put her thumb in her mouth and looked down at his feet, intimidated by him. "No sir. I was just exploring…" Gaoling says noticing how tired he must be before walking away slowly. "Goodnight. Have sweet dreams or beautiful nightmares."

* * *

Vladimir Palach was not your ordinary man. He was a Russian man. He was attractive, but not a pretty boy. He was conceited, but knew there were limits. He was cunning, but not reckless. Needless to say, he was perfect.

He wasn't the type to turn away girls who flung themselves at him. He wasn't the type of man to curse a woman out besides Sima Xian. No. Vladimir Palach was a player who enjoyed fucking anything that could move.

However, he was the type to have women, especially younger girls, come onto him like moths drawn to flames.

Vladimir walked into his apartments in Shouchun Castle. The room was absolutely silent. Perfect.

He walked onto the balcony and took in a deep breath, take pleasure in the aromas that the cool breeze brought with it. The cool refreshing smell of grass and the sweet bite of the blooming Cherry Blossom trees. The scent brought his mind to Xian.

_She smirked at him. "I see no proof that you're as good as you seem to think you are."_

_He smirked as well and stood up._

_"Lie down on the bed like the little whore you are and I'll show you."_

It had happened right then and there. He had fucked her and she loved it so much that she pulled him from her door and into her room every other night.

He took out a bottle of vodka and sat.

"Ooh, so you're my sister's new toy from, what is it…Russia?" She smirked as she ran a finger down his cheek. "I'm sure all the women are staring if not swarming you. I find that I'm even curious about you." She continued as her hand found its way to his waist. She looked up into his eyes seductively. He was to be hers.

"Why don't you come with me? Xiany is in Xuchang. She'd never know about it unless we told her…"

"Отвали сука! I had the same problem with Xian's friend the other day! I rejected her. Why would I say yes to a slut like you? "Отвали сука!" Vlad yelled in frustration as he pushed her away. ("Fuck off bitch!)

He sighed and continued to drink his alcohol. "Just go before I throw you off of this balcony-"

"What the fuck is going on?" Sima Xian herself yelled as she looked on at Vladimir and Nanyang. He chugged down the rest of his drink.

"Oh shit…"

Fu stood in his father's study looking through the many books and scrolls. If he was going to find out what happened to his mother, he'd have to find out from the person who knew the most.

"Fu, what are you doing here?" Fu bowed "My apologies father but…I think it's time. Can you please tell me what happened to my mom?" A gust of wind opened the balcony door before Zhang sighed "…Come Fu."

Fu sat across from his father. A shadow of seriousness fell across his face.

"I met your mother when I was fifteen years old. I saved her from an execution…"

Fu nodded but didn't interrupt.

"Well we became close to one another. She cared about me and I care about her. Sort of like the way you feel about a certain someone."

Fu's eyes widened. He knew!

"Anyways, well we liked each other so much, that we decided to get you."

"How'd you get me?"

Zhang blinked. "Let me finish. So after we got you, you're mother got very sick. We did everything we could to help her, but it wasn't enough. She went to what I call…elsewhere."

Fu stood and sat on his father. "Where's elsewhere?"

"It's a secret place. No one knows exactly where it is, so we call it elsewhere."

"Is she happy in 'elsewhere'?

"I'm sure she is, Fu."

The young child sat in silence, processing the information his father had given him. Another question then popped into the young boy's mind.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"What ever happened to Lady Jiang? And why do you always look at Uncle Shi the way you do? Do you like him?"

It was then the perfect opportunity to tell Fu the evils of Sima Shi.

"Let me ask you son, what do you do with a toy that is old and broken?"

Fu thought for a moment before answering. "You throw it out."

"Correct. What do you do with friends who treat you and your other friends bad?"

"…You stop contact with them…"

Zhang nodded. "Now tell me, if this girl that you like was your best friend, and you find someone else to be your friend, is it right to kill that girl who you say is your best friend?"

"Of course not!"

"You now know what he did to the Lady Jiang and why he disgusts me. Stay away from him."


	9. Fun and Games

Another night of trying to sleep ended in failure for Sima Zhang. He forced himself up from his bed in a cold sweat.

"Shit..." He panted, not noticing the ghost of Jiang Hui standing next to him.

She slightly smiled. "Zhang" she whispered as she placed a cold hand on his shoulder causing him to shiver slightly.

He jumped to his feet and faced her. What was she doing here?

"H-Hui! What are you doing here? I thought you were…" He smiled a bit but frowned again as his previous dream came back to him.

"It's ok, my brother."

Jiang Hui spoke in a hushed voice. She didn't mean to cause such a stir, but she needed to see him to deliver his message. Sima Zhang did not take it that way. A look of anger spread across Zhang's face like wildfire. "No, Hui, it's not! I am constantly tormented by my life and how it's gone to shit!"

He forced her away.

"Zhang, your life is not that way at all. It's-"

"Stop buttering it up, Hui! It is shit and you know it is! Stop acting like everything's okay! You didn't lose everything that mattered to you! You even helped add to my suffering. Had you not taken the coward's way out, maybe your words would mean something to me! Maybe you'd be able to help me rather than try to hide me from the truth! I'm not a teenager anymore, Hui. You can't make reality fly over my head! Life fucks me over and it's your fault because you bitched out!"

Tears swelled in her eyes. "Zhang…"

"Don't Zhang me!"

Hui let tears slide down her face and turned her back to him.

"…I came to deliver a message, you know. Xing Cai says she misses you...and to watch Fu with your life, and never abandon him…"

Sima Zhang did not reply.

"I'm sorry for hurting you, Zhang. I won't show my face ever again. I…I must go…" she whispered sadly and slowly faded away.

"Hui wait! I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry…" It was all in vain. She was already gone.

"…G-god Dammit!" Zhang screamed. He ran out to his balcony for air. He could end all right now if he wanted to. He could finally be freed of his pain, all in a matter of seconds. He looked over the edge to the ground far below. "It'd be so easy...jumping..."

Suddenly he thought of Xing Cai, Fu, and Hui. How he swore he would guard Fu with his life, and he swore he'd die before Fu. That is all he really wanted. To die. But Fu needed him he would hold out.

"Just a few more years…"

* * *

"What the hell are you doing to my Russian?" Sima Xian growled as she pushed Nanyang into the wall, flames dancing across her finger tips, ready to burn her sister.

"Your Russian? Dearest sister, you must not be so greedy! I'm sure we can…share him." Nanyang replied as she moved back to Vladimir, who rolled his eyes and pushed her towards the door.

"What? Are you kidding? I'd never fuck anyone with you Nanyang! Get the fuck out of my goddamn room!" Xian yelled. Without thinking, the older twin grabbed a vase and threw it at her sister which Nanyang easily avoided.

"Vlad…please?" Nanyang practically begged.

"Bitch, shut up, and get the fuck out of my goddamned room!" Vlad replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Fine, I-I wouldn't want you anyway! You've already been soiled by Xian, so I'll never show you w-"

Nanyang screamed and ducked as another vase flew her way.

"Get the fuck out!" Vlad said before literally kicking Nanyang out of the room.

Sima Xian sat on his bed, exhausted. "Jesus…"

He sat next to her and sighed.

He and Xian sat together in his room in silence for what seemed like an hour. She turned to face him. "Vladimir, what was your childhood like?"

He frowned at her. "It was shit. Nothing more and nothing less."

She frowned with him. "Why? What happened so bad that it had to be shit?"

Vlad sighed "Because I grew up on the streets more than my own house. My parents didn't really care since my dad was an alcoholic. They ended up dying a few years back though. I grew up on the streets with my little brother from there. Before I left, I left him in the company of a friend. Oh, and not to mention the beatings, muggings, and constant fear of being killed that we lived with every day."

Xian hugged him and forced him to lie down, believing that she knew the antidote to making him feel better. "I'm sorry for asking, my love." Let me make it up to you…"

The whore got on top of him after removing his clothes and lowering herself onto his member, causing him to smirk.

She kissed him as she continued to ride him, knowing that she had lifted his spirits.

"Vladimir…"

He smirked and stroked his thumb across the small little bud of a nipple on her breast and quickened his thrusts, hitting her deeper each time.

Xian moaned louder, making him hit her as deep as possible. She dug her nails into his leg.

"I-I can't control myself, I'm so close!" She screamed as she found herself at her peak.

He only smirked up at her.

"Do it…" He whispered as he released inside of her just as she came with him. Xian smirked and kissed down his neck and chest.

"I love you, my Vladimir…"

"You love me for now."

* * *

Fu stood alone on the docks awaiting the ship that would take him to Italy. He smiled as the salty air blew in his face. For once, in his now seven years, he was going somewhere alone and had no one to see him off except for his father, Xian, and Gaoling.

Zhang looked up as the boat came into view, "Fu look. There are the ships. Are you excited?" Zhang asked pointing to the boat causing Fu to smile.

The young boy looked back at Xian. He loved her and wouldn't deny that any longer. "I'll miss you Xiany…" he said with a smile as she hugged back but remained silent. Without thinking, he kissed her cheek. She said nothing.

Gaoling hugged Fu next. "I'll miss you buddy. Now I don't have anyone to play with!" she whined and tried to make Fu stay just as the boat docked.

After the boat had docked, Zhang helped Fu load his stuff onto the ship.

"_Addio, ragazzo mio. Arrivare sani e salvi e che Dio sia con voi_." The father spoke to his son as he moved onto the boat. Waving to his son one final time, he walked away, the boat drifting off.

* * *

Sima Xian and her posy made their way through the courtyard of Wei Academy. Xian looked at the birds as they flew past her, occasionally setting a few ablaze with a smile. They were all about to join the Kuai Ball team. Excited wasn't the word she'd use. Confident was better.

Her usual scent of Cherry Blossoms filled the air around them. She smirked, and walked through the doors to the gym. The upperclassmen, who were already on the team and trying out again, stared at them in shock. Some even laughed at the fact that freshmen thought that they had a chance to even make the teams. Gossip spread around like fire.

Xian set her stuff down on the benches with the rest of her clique.

"This is what happens, okay? I will serve the ball over. Okay?"

Mei Cai gave her best friend a skeptical look. "What about the rest of us? What do we do?"

"Sit and look pretty in your positions."

Cao Ling, the daughter of Cao Rui and Xian's cousin, raised an eyebrow. "And what if they manage to hit the ball back over? What then?"

Cao Luo, Ling's twin sister, rolled her eyes. "Then we'll take care of it. C'mon let's go play already."

The gang walked onto the court. "Give us the whole team."

Hua Luo, the coach, smirked and did as asked. Xian backed all the way back to where she was meant to kick the ball, glaring at everyone on the other side of the net. With a toss, she jumped high into the air and kicked the ball over the net. A girl on the other side bicycle kicked the ball back over the net to Mei Cai. As planned, she passed the ball with her knee to Ling, who hit the ball up in the air for her sister to hit. With a kick of great skill, she hit the ball over, hitting the girl in the leg and bringing her to the ground. They did this same routine every time till they won, officially taking the spots of the upperclassmen on the varsity kuai ball team.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about this chapter being rushed but I was trying to update before my boyfriend fell asleep since he isn't patient with me. Anyways, special thanks to the Emperor anyways since he kind of typed the whole chapter for me. I love you! :*


	10. Plotting the Downfall of Cao Wei

The water was like a mirror. The wind was calm. A peace came into the hearts of the two lovers as they lay on a small boat in the middle of a lake. They could hear fish breaking the surface of the water. They were happy.

He looked down at a resting Sima Xian. He stroked her hair and she smiled.

"Danny, what are you doing?"

He chuckled. "Nothing, I'm just a little excited."

Xian slowly sat up and looked down at him with the lopsided smirk she was known for. "Why?"

Zhuge Dan looked up at her with eyes full of devotion. "Well for starters, the love of my life is here in a boat with me and tomorrow we get to sit in a council. What's not to be excited about?"

Cunning laughter filled the air around them. Xian pulled his shirt off and tugged his pants down.

"You're right," she confirmed and slid down onto his awaiting shaft, "you are here with the love of your life. However, there is more. We are out in the middle of a lake having - or rather, - being left to our own devices. Not to mention that I will be the Empress soon."

His eyes widened and he pushed her off of him. "What?"

"I plan to make myself the Empress," she leaned in closer, "and you my Emperor."

Noticing his fascination, she smirked.

"Really, Xiany?"

"Absolutely."

He stroked her cheek, but was cut off by Sima Xian kissing his lips. Their lips moved in time with each other and Dan raised his hands up to her hair and tangled his fingers in it. With his other hand, he pulled up to her face and cupped her cheek in his hand. Xian slowly started to feel on her lover's body. She moved from his lips to his neck, moving herself onto his thighs. He placed his hands on her lower back slipping one hand down the back of her pants.

"I love you," panted Zhuge Dan through the hard kissing and touching.

That did it for Xian.

She peeled off her tunic and pressed her chest against Dan's, slowly running her hand over his crotch. He started kissing her jaw line, leaning over her as he did so. He moved from her throat, down to her collar, then kissing her breasts. He touched her body so gently and passionately. Dan then climbed on top of Xian and turned her head to the side, slowly licking her neck. She moaned and smiled. "Do it."

Their sweaty bodies pressed against each other, and they became one person.

* * *

"The time is quickly drawing near and we still have no ideas on how to get rid of the Emperor and Empress." Sima Yi spoke to his kin and most trusted officers.

Sima Shi sat with Wu Lin and his five daughters by his side, along with his adopted son, Sima You. Sima Zhao sat with his wife, Wang Yuanji, and their children. Tian Jing sat with Diao Ning and their son, Tian Ning.

"Why do we need to get rid of them in the first place?" Sima Gaoling whined.

"Because," Nanyang began, "in order for us to reach supreme reign over China we will have to be the highest ranking and the most powerful. We have the power, but we need the rank."

Sima Shi nodded in approval. "Well then, Nanyang, what do you suppose we do? Seeing that you have answered Gaoling's question correctly."

She thought for a moment before answering. "Develop a much larger army and storm the palace. The Imperials will not have anywhere to hide once we do so."

Sima Xian shook her head at her twin's idea. "That plan had too many flaws in it for it to actually work. Their Imperial Highnesses have many more supporters than we do. It could take decades to build an army that large to take on Cao Wei. However, when battles are lost and Cao Wei starts losing resources and money, people will want someone to blame for failure and their misfortunes. The Emperor will be that person."

She stood up and walked around with her hand behind her back. "The losses will start happening very soon, more than likely when that imbecile Jiang Wei starts his Northern Expeditions again."

Sima You, her rival cocked and eyebrow. "You abated the question, _Xiany."_

She snapped around and gave him her flawless glare. "Why don't you let me finish? You could stand to learn a thing or two." She tossed her long dark curls. "When Wei starts weakening, people will begin to yearn for a new leader. Lord Sima Yi," she smiled and gestured to her grandfather, "will be that man. We will start our own army. Once we have what we need, we can do as my sister said and storm the palace. There will be, however, a chance that the Imperial family attempt to escape. To prevent this, we'll surround the palace with a cavalry and archers. This will prevent any possibilities of escape."

Sima Shi smiled at his daughter's display of diplomatic insight and intelligence. "We can easily kill the family then and seize the throne."

"Not necessarily, my brother," Tian Jing spoke up to his sworn brother. "Brutally murdering the Emperor and Empress would be fine by the people, but they would not tolerate the homicide of the Imperial children. They would need to be done away with silently. Perhaps forcing suicide upon them would work."

"Or," Zhao interrupted, "we could let them all live. They will in the long run start proving themselves an issue. The people, if we allow, will notice this and want them all dead. Then we can justly execute the family all together. It's simpler and easier to end the Cao's that way."

Yuanji nodded. Diao Ning frowned at the thought of murdering children.

"Exile the family in a run-down castle. It'll be very entertaining to watch Cao Ling and Cao Luo crumble to nothing," Mei Lin added with a malevolent laugh.

Sima Yi laughed and dismissed the council.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. My co-writer and I were having some disagreements that had to be dealt with so I was unable to receive help planning the chapter. Again, my apologies.

Notice that I have changed two things. One is a significant and the other is a minor change. I changed my pen name from **Empress Jing of Jin **back to **kayladw7**. Also, the name of the story is now _**Blades of Destiny, Part One: Into the Inferno. **_

Anyways, thanks for being so patient with me.


	11. Anger and Ambtion

"My aunt has decided to make herself a decoy to the emperor so that we can eliminate the Cao family. I must be the first to point out that it is rather big of her but also rather egotistical and unwitting to wish to put yourself in that position. She is much too imprudent to recognize that if our plans were to be discovered, her head would be the first to leave her shoulders. Yet my grandfather applauded her for being generous to our cause. What an impetuous fool she is! How dare she steal my glory?"

Glass shattered on the wall. Tabletops and books banged as they hit the floor. Papers and maps glided astray across the marble floors. The bees wax candles grew immensely stronger, illuminating the room as if they were the sun on a cloudless afternoon.

Sima Xian paced the room. She was beyond angry. She was livid. How could her grandfather, who favored her over everyone but her father, favor her aunt's plot over her own? Did he not know how foolish his daughter could be? Did he not understand that what the severities of giving her such a task would be? She could well be the death of the entire clan and their supporters!

"It seems to me," Vladimir, the goddess's ex-lover, spoke slyly, "that you are simply jealous that your aunt has finally gotten approval from _her _father. You act as if it is the end of the world. It's not like she's gonna replace you or anything."

"Of course she isn't!" The angry Sima princess retorted. "No one with the likes of her could ever replace me. She can't even hold a candle to me."

"Of course. No one can."

The candles dimmed as she calmed herself and sat in her cushioned chair, petting her large snow wolf. Dawn was approaching rapidly.

"I'm too weary to think now. I shall skip school today…"

With a loud sigh, he stood and stretched. His master had talked away his sleep hours. "Why do you not ever go to school anymore? You constantly complain about being sick or that you're tired. Are you sure you're okay?"

Xian placed a hand on her stomach, unsure whether to tell him or not. It was, after all, too soon to tell if she was actually right or wrong. "Yes. I'm fine. I'm probably just a little sick."

"You could be pregnant." He stated flatly." "You do sleep with anything that has a dick."

In a fit of rage, she threw a lit candle at him, not caring if the wax was burning her or not. He simply caught it and placed it back in its elaborate candelabrum.

As if she wasn't an ounce bit tired anymore, she leapt from the chair like a lioness and unleashed angry blows to her guard's chest. "You bastard! How dare you excuse me of such a vile lie! It is completely untrue. I am not a whore! You should be punished for such words. I can easily take your head, you know. Yes! I'll have your head delivered to me on a silver platter! And I shall allow wolves to lick at your blood and eat you. Or should I simply have you fed to Meatbun right now? It would be such a beautiful death for such an evil man as you."

Vladimir crossed his arms over his chest, unafraid of what Sima Xian claimed she would do to him. "I dare you."

She angrily eyed him, unsure whether or not to give her dire wolf the signal to kill or not. He was well trained though. If he sensed that she was in the slightest of danger, even if he was asleep, he would wake up to defend his owner and friend. He was, needless to say, loyal until the very end.

The goddess quickly spun around so that her back faced him. "I…cannot kill you yet…"

He stepped forward until he was pressed against her back. His cold pale hand slid its way around her abdomen as he caressed her slender neck. As if in sync with his left hand, his right hand trailed up her abdomen to her right breast, lightly squeezing it.

With a gasp, Xian moved away. "What's wrong with you? That hurt!"

Vladimir nodded and affirmation. "You're pregnant, Lady Sima. It'll be interesting to see what will happen when your father discovers this."

"I do not need your insight." She spat nervously. "Besides…I will not tell my father." He shook his head and put on his pants. "You cannot hide a pregnancy, Xian. You can't hide a baby bump."

She trembled at the thought of her father finding out. "I-I will ask permission to leave to my estate until my studies are completely. If he questions me, I can simply say that it is to clear my head and focus on my training and education. He won't question me after that."

"What about Zhao Lei and the rest of your servants? They'll undoubtedly tell your father and grandfather. Once they find out, you can bend over and kiss your ass goodbye."

Sima Xian's hands shake as she fumbles with her tie. Even thinking about this made her sick. "Zhao Lei is my most trusted servant. I know that she won't tell anyone. All I have to do is have her watch my maids. If she or I is suspicious of one, they will be quickly and quietly done away with."

He still wasn't convinced. "The emperor will take away your title as princess-"

"Let him. I am unafraid of losing my nobility for now. Soon, I won't be just some measly princess living off of what my grandmother died defending. I refuse to live in the woman's shadow. One day soon, I will conquer Wei and build a regime of my own and to my liking. I shall one day be the empress. Not just of some little kingdom, though. I shall be the empress of China."

* * *

Sima Zhang stood in the council hall. The meeting had just ended. As always, he knew that his nieces and their friends would soon be rushing into the hall to see if he had any news to share with them. Since Sima Fu was gone away for training, he was forced to make do with the girls that he was raising as his own daughters. So far, he preferred Gaoling over all of them. She was innocent; something none of the others were.

He looked up from his papers as the children ran into the room, moving in and out of officers' ways. Sima Gaoling grinned as she saw him.

"How long have you been home? It isn't even noon yet," the tall man asked casually, a slight smirk on his face.

"For a few minutes," Sima Nanyang answered.

"We wanted to see if you got any news about the battle and if we would get to help out this time," Xian added.

Zhang frowned once more. "We are at war with Wu and Shu. You have known that all of your lives. You should be excited this particular time though because some of you will be coming along for the battle."


	12. A Sima Reborn

Screams and hollers sounded out throughout the field. Men pierced each other bodies with their artilleries. Most soldiers didn't even have their weapons anymore. They simply fought with their fists. The ground was no longer solid earth, but rather a mixture of mud, rain, and blood. It was a commoner's battle.

Up safe in their fort, the Sima family stood overlooking the battle. Sima Yi, being the excellent strategist that he was, had thought to execute a surprise attack on the Shu troops. Jiang Wei, being foolish enough to let his guard down on the Sima, had been taken aback when he found out about the ambush.

"That sneaky bastard! He would pull something like this while he had our backs turned."

Jiang Li played with her long blond hair, paying no mind to her father's rant. All of his words were irrational. Her mind was elsewhere.

"Father," she interrupted, "are you aware of the rumor?"

Jiang Wei growled slightly. "What damned rumors? In a dire time like this, you're going to think about silly rumors?"

"No. I was simply thinking about Sima Yi. It is rumored that his granddaughter is here."

"What is that to me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sima Xian could be useful. If we were to capture the brat then the Sima would have no choice but to surrender. It would give us enough time to get reinforcements then kill the snot."

* * *

Her heart beat wildly in her chest. What was going on? Why was all of this happening to her? She pulled against the chains that bound her arms to the stone high over her head. The skin ripped as she tugged again. The tight metal clasp over her wrists had small grooves in them, designed only to inflict further harm. She bit back a tear as she felt the hot blood start to well from the torn flesh.

"You shouldn't struggle, puppet. It will only hurt worse." She closed her eyes as she fought back the tears. That voice again. She hated that voice. The owner of that voice had already shredded her back with a whip, and slit her skin down her spine, leaving it an open wound to fester. She tried to pull herself up with her arms, but the clamps around her ankles tore into her skin as well. The smell of her blood was rich in the air, and metallic on the back of the throat. She would never get used to that smell. She opened her eyes, fighting back the pulsing ache behind them. She watched as he walked over to her. Those cold hazel orbs looked over her then down to her stomach.

"So pale. So warm." He said as his fingertips ran scantly over her naval. He looked up at her, his eerily beautiful eyes peering into hers. She turned her head as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek.

"Are you ready, trinket?"

She cried as she cussed into the tight rag in her mouth. The cloth tore at the corners of her lips, bringing burning sensations to the end of her finger tips every time she turned her head. He smiled and brought up a blade with jagged teeth lining one side of it. He placed the bladed teeth against her stomach, just above her naval. He pulled the rough blade across her skin, pressing down so that the teeth bit and caught at the skin. A bright trail of crimson followed the blade. The man chuckled low in his throat as he sat the blade on the outcropping stone next to her. He picked up a small syringe and ran it along the cut. Her eyes flew open wide as she arched forward, jerking her arms and feet harshly against the clamps. A stinging sensation bit at her flesh and the piercing pain shot deeper as the acid worked into her flesh. The tears streamed from her face as he took a step back, letting the noxious acid eat back the wound. He moved forward again to her and ran a finger over the now open and steaming cut. He pressed his finger into the wound and hooked his finger under the top layer of flesh.

She screamed into the cloth as he pushed another finger between the flesh and the muscle. She fought to open her eyes as the ripping and tearing of flesh sent her toes into a curl. She watched as he pulled a lashing creature from a jar that resembled a swap parasite with his free hand. Fear rolled over her as he pressed the insect into the wound, and then maneuvered its clawing pinching form under the gap his fingers had created. The blood flowed over his hands and stained her legs. She pushed her tongue hard against the gag trying to free her mouth to call for help. She watched with pained eyes as he healed her stomach wound trapping the insect inside.

"The ability to have a family that will actually look for you is a precious thing, isn't it, little Sima?"

She blinked through the tears just wishing she could call him all the things she was thinking at the moment. She could feel the thing inside of her- its several legs pushing and tearing into her muscles as it moved. She could feel its claws shredding a path as it moved deeper into her. She closed her eyes and whimpered as the parasite broke through the muscles and through the abdominal membrane with a pop. It moved with slimy yet burning movements over her organs.

"The more you resist your friend, sweetheart, the deeper he will burrow." She felt the bite of a blade on her neck, followed by the wet trail of blood. The blood ran over her collar, and made its way over the rise her breast to the lower center of her chest, continuing down her stomach. He hadn't cut a line, only pierced a small hole.

"Can you handle more?" Her eyes opened with fury in them a she stared at him. His cool eyes only smiled as he bent over and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Of course you can, love." She tried to sink into the wall behind her. If only she had the talents of her mother or Sima Fu, she wouldn't be in this situation. She felt him push a needle deep into the pre-puncture and bleeding hole. The tension in her muscles melted to the poison burning through her veins.

"I can't have you moving anymore." She fell limp against the clamps, her body sagging forward. He ran his hand over her hip and down the outside of her thigh. She closed her eyes as she fought back the urge to cry. If he was going to kill her, she wished he would just get it over with! She was naked and vulnerable, chained to a wall, with a sick Shu strategist, who was her grandfather, stuffing creatures into her. His hand ran back up, retracing its own trail. He leaned in his face just inches from hers.

"Do you think I am going to have my way with you now? Do you fear the thought of me inside you, tearing places that will never heal?" His breath curled over her and she felt the urge to shutter, but also felt the resistance her muscles gave against any movement at all. He stood back and laughed.

"Don't be foolish, child. You aren't my type." He said with a smile, as if that would soften the situation. A stiff metal rod, small enough to be called a string, appeared in his hand. She didn't have time to think of its purpose. He drove the metal with a large amount of force into the skin on the outside of her thigh, sending up a tiny spray of blood. He pushed the rod down just under the skin, driving the metal lower on her leg. Once the rod met the bend of her knee it was fully underneath that first layer of flesh. He ran his hand over the metal and she could feel the burning tickle start to crawl down from her knee. He looked at her as he moved to the other side.

"Do you wonder why I am doing this?" Of course he received no answer as he drove another stiff metal string into her other thing, he laughed.

"Funny thing about that is that I have my mission, so it's nothing personal." He said looking over her. He moved his hands up to either side of her head and untied the gag. She worked her jaw and ran her tongue over her raw lips, and could taste the blood. He smoothed his hand over her mouth. She snarled and snapped at his hand.

"So pretty and feisty." She felt her eyes grew wide as she saw the flicker of metal. A scream escaped her mouth as her head was thrown to the side. Within an instant her scream turned to a gurgle as blood filled her mouth. She moved her jaw and felt the gash that tore across her cheek, extending the corner of her mouth. The blood covered her face as he tiled her head back. He ran the needle through one side, starting at the end close to her ear. She felt the resistance of her skin against the thread as he pulled it through. The sharp pain entering her to the wound and pushing through the other side made her close her eyes. A shivering sob escaped her as he tied the stitches off at the corner of her mouth. Just as she opened her eyes, a hot pain shot through the other side of her face.

"Poor casualty of war. Perhaps you should have chosen your sides a little more wisely, no?" He said with a smile as he began stitching up the other side of her face. As he stitched, he didn't stop at the corner of her mouth, instead he continued on, in essences sewing her mouth closed. Once he tied the final stitch of thread he took a step back, looking over his work.

"A thing of beauty. It truly is surprising how much blood the body can lose without the body dying." He walked away from her only to return a moment later with two small iron objects in his hands. He set one on the rock next to her and looked up at her with a smile. She blinked down at the block, her eyes widening at the horrible device. Three small holes were in the center with a knob on the end. He smiled wider at the apparent fear in her eyes.

"You don't like my toy?" He said as he brought his arms up and grabbed one of her hands. She clenched her hand closed tight as the muscle relaxing toxics began to wear off. He looked down at her with a flat look.

"You can either open your hand willingly, or I can start breaking fingers." She clamped her hand tighter and shook her head. Tears welled in her eyes again as she realized he was probably going to break them anyway. He shook his head at her and reached up grabbing one of her thumbs.

"Last chance, doll." When she didn't comply he started pulling the thumb back. The resistance in her hands weren't at their peak, but there still was enough to pose a problem. She fought, but couldn't retain the resistance long enough for him to give in. Her thumb slammed back to the wall with a fiery pain shooting into her palm. He looked at her with his icy eyes.

"Unclench your hand." She could feel the fluid rushing to her mangled hand as she opened her fingers hesitantly. He gave her a pat on the cheek, sending a jolt of pain across her mutilated face.

"Good girl." He said as he slipped the iron device over her three center fingers. He pushed it down so that it sat just over the second knuckles. He picked up the mate and went to her other hand, which she opened painfully yet willingly. He fit the finger-screw of them in the same fashion and looked over them. He moved his hands up her arms, checking over the tension. He moved his hand back to the first finger screw and turned the knob. She let out a muffled scream as she heard her fingers starting to pop and the knuckles crack, and could feel the tissue crushing in burning waves as the metal tightened around her them. He did the same to the other one, tightening it until she again screamed into her sealed lips. He blinked at her and once again smiled.

"The world is a cruel place, Sima child, especially when you don't choose your enemies well." He again took his blade in hand. He set it against the rise of her breast. His eyes were set on the blade as he moved it. He was focused, and calm. She blinked at him through the pain and her swelling eyes. He reminded her of an artist in a sickly fashion. Carefully planning his next move, and taking his time to deliberately and calmly make his marks. She closed her eyes as the open air met with the wound as the blood began to rush down her body. She could feel the sting of the open wound as he ran a finger over the top ridge. He reached over and picked up a small vase, and pulled out a small stopper. A strong bitter smell filled the air, with a potent stench. Her heart began to race and in turn spilled the blood out of her wounds faster. She pleaded in her mind that God would not allow him to do what she thought he was going to. She closed her eyes tight and tensed as he tipped the end of the vase up. The sour smell filled her nose as the vinegar ran over the wound, sending her thrashing pain. The burning drove deep into the wound as the acidic liquid worked over the wound. A gag pulled at the back of her throat as the pain hit her stomach. She didn't know whether it was the vinegar or the parasite digging deeper into her abdomen, but she was going to be sick. The vile contents spilled into her mouth, inly small drips of the bile spilling from the stitches, forcing her to swallow back the vomit.

The man took a step back and watched as the vinegar washed the blood from her stomach. He pushed his chocolate colored hair from his face and smiled. He turned on his heel and disappeared across the room. He came back seconds later with four iron balls in his hand. They were small, just the size of a blueberry.

He ran his hand over the wound, wiping the thick blot away as it started to clot. He quickly forced each of the metal balls into the wound in a line across it. He pulled the water to his hand from a basin across the room. He set his hand over her chest. She could feel the water running through her healing the wound, but as she healed the pain intensified as the metal spheres sunk deeper into her flesh, forcing their way into the thin layer of muscles above her rib cage.

He stepped back and looked over her naked form with a nod. She was bloody from the different wounds over her body and her eyes were swollen from the crying. She was truly pitiful sight. He looked up at her hands and smiled at the pleasing discoloration that had begun to set in as her fingers bent at excruciating angles.

With a crash, the metal doors burst open, throwing the man to the ground.

Sima Xian looked at the figure through swollen eyes. He was tall and very muscular. His long hair blew with the wind. The brightness of the outside made it impossible for her to see his face.

"Well," her capture spoke as he reached for his spear. "It seems your escort has arrived."

The mighty warrior placed his hand on his blade, ready to kill Jiang Wei with one move. "Let her go and I'll allow you to live."

Stabbing his spear head at the young combatant, Wei smirked; however, when his opponent blocked the spear with his katana, his smiled faded.

"Do not make an enemy of me, Jiang Wei. I'll kill you in heartbeat."

Spinning his spear around, he quickly fell into his stance. "You've got no chance against me. Now I'd suggest you leave before I have to kill you. And we'd hate for little Xiany to have to witness her only hope of survival's death."

A whimper came from the pitiful girl. She was begging him to help her.

With a swift movement, the combatant attacked his superior's imprisoner. Jiang Wei jumped back in order to avoid getting sliced in half. With a smirk, he charged at the fighter.

The young warrior's attacks were quick and efficient, knocking the more experienced combatant off of his guard.

Using a forceful kick, Jiang Wei was sent flying into the stone wall next to Sima Xian.

The triumphant warrior strode over to the two, kissing her on the forehead and placing his blade to the neck of her fear. "One day, I will have your head."

He unchained the young Sima from the wall, whispering reassuring words to her before picking her up bridal style; leaving her troubled world behind them.

It was then that Sima Xian finally realized who her savoir was.

Sima Fu.

* * *

A/N: Surprise! Nobody expected my little Fu Fu to come back so soon, did they? Well anyways, I need you all to use your imaginations with this but originally, Sima Fu is supposed to be five years younger than Sima Xian. However, in order for this chapter to work, he had to already be ten years old.

If you were wondering, Sima Xian is twelve and is only the height of a nine year old. Sima Fu, being naturally tall, is already over five feet four inches. Just to clear up why he was described the way he was.

In addition, I am now a part of the FictionPress community and I would appreciate it if you guys would take a look at my new story on there. The link will be on my profile so feel free to check it out. Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!


	13. Scorched Earth

Her spinning mind ceased to make sense to her. In the moments that Sima Xian was conscious, her head was beating against the chest of her cousin and then it would be only seconds until she fell unconscious once more. Hours passed like this.

* * *

"What are you deaf, dumb and stupid? Hurry up and get her to a physician, you imbecile!"

"Understood."

She felt hot hands all over her body. But hell, it was probably demons readying themselves to tear away her flesh. She had been evil and she knew that she would not ascend to the heavens above. The demons were simply here to escort her to hell and make her a newborn demonic spawn.

"You!" A mere rank-in-file soldier yelled to a messenger. "Send for a physician now!"

* * *

As soon as possible, Sima Shi and Sima Yi rushed back to the castle.

"What's wrong with Xian?" Shi yelled at his nephew.

"She was tortured by Jiang Wei and some accomplices."

"How much blood was lost, boy?" Yi asked with worry laced in his voice.

"The gods only know."

* * *

Her soul had abandoned her body. A spirit, whose name and face was never revealed, escorted her to places that she had thought she once knew but could not remember. The soul came and went as she pleased.

Once she was escorted to Xuchang. Xian recalled going as a little girl when she was given her rank, but it had been so unimportant.

"Why am I here?" The preteen asked, unafraid of what the spirit would reply with. She had long ago outgrown fear, or she thought.

"_Do you not remember it, little Sima? You were here for your crowning. And I was here with you. Standing by your side."_

"It is not necessary to lie to me on your behalf. You were not there. For are you not dead? What can I, a mere mortal, do to you – a powerful apparition, or perhaps even goddess, who simply likes to disorient her inferiors? Besides, I don't even know who you are."

The spirit smiled and out of nowhere, picked Sima Xian up by her forearms and laughed as she flew them up years in the time continuum stopping almost as quickly as she had started.

"_Well then, my darling Sima, hath you remember this place? Surely it cannot be forgotten easily. For it is tainted by the whore you have always called father. It is a pity too. He only wants you for personal achievements. You're simply too blinded by ignorance to see that."_

Xian gasped and whipped around. "You bitch!"

But no one was there to claim the insult. She was alone in her father's apartments. There was not even a breeze from the open window to give her company.

"Enough! I've had enough! Take me to hell to become a demonic spawn as you came to me to do. Do it or leave me be. I've had more than enough of playing this silly game of yours!"

Her words echoed but there was no response. There was no one to respond to her.

"You abandon me now, spirit? Have you already forgotten your task at hand? Did the devil come to finish his own bidding? Is that why you abandon me here?"

A shrilling and forced out laugh illuminated the chambers. The seductive and adult-like voice returned. _"You are anything but abandoned, my child. You are the only daughter of Sima Shi who is not abandoned. But since my company is so unwanted by you, I shall return you to your current affairs so I may comfort the poor unfortunate souls, such as myself, who have found themselves amidst the cruel fires of hell. May they never have to engulf you, Sima Xian."_

It was then that she was able to recognize the voice. The spirit had been flesh and bone when she attended her crowning. The woman did stand next to her.

It had to be none other than Lady Jiang Hui.

"Mother," She stated bitterly.

She was cut off as she started flying solo through time forward to where she had abandoned her body.

"_May mercy be given to you when the world decides to cut your head from your neck, daughter."_

It only took a little shove to tip the young Sima off the edge of an endless abyss.

* * *

After hours, the sight of a physician was godlike.

"How is Xian?" Fu urged.

"The head physician stated that the princess will live. He managed after the first few minutes to stop the bleeding. We also found a worm-like creature in her muscles. It did take a while but we were able to get it removed before it started to reproduce. She is now all patched up and should be back to active duty soon."

"Anything additional," Zhongda asked with his usual sadistic demeanor.

There was a pause.

"Spit it out, boy!"

"The princess…was also discovered to be with child."

* * *

The disgusting smell of medicine made it positively clear that she was not in hell or the heavens. When her eyes opened and everything came into focus, Xian found herself in a bed that took place in a giant blue tent. Instantly she knew she was back in Hefei Castle with her allies.

She sat up to find that she was surrounded her father and grandfather. Dammit…

"You idiot! How could be so careless! Not only have you blemished our family name, but now you have thrown away your title. How could you be so stupid?"

Immediately she knew he was speaking roughly about her pregnancy. While her father seemed beyond angry, Sima Yi simply looked lost in thought.

"It was an accident! I thought I couldn't get like this. I never started bleeding."

Shi slapped his eldest daughter with such force that she almost flew from the bed. "Whore! You shouldn't have been so horny and done it in the first place."

"Well my horniness had to come from someone."

With another crack of a slap to the face, she was on the floor holding her red cheek.

"Enough!" Sima Yi announced. Without skipping a beat, the father and daughter stopped fussing.

"Now we both know that what you did was wrong, but we can't change anything now. All that can be done now is for you to be exiled Bei Ping to await the birth. And son, think of it this way, if a boy, the spawn can become useful to our cause."

"How so? The emperor will undoubtedly make her forfeit her titles and then excommunicate us."

"The emperor," Xian began, "is simply a pawn. He is the mouth in which grandfather speaks. And our plan is already in effect. Recently, battles have been being lost. The people are beginning to lose faith in him."

"Shu has already won this castle. We're almost completely surrounded, father-"

"Scorched earth," Xian answered. "Burn anything that could be useful to the enemy. In this case, that means scorch everything."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. **Emperor Ren of Jin **did ask me to update on the twenty-seventh of December, but at the time, I had no inspiration at all. Anyways thanks for reading!


	14. Left-handed

The Sima-children banged on the door to no avail. They could already feel the smoldering heat on their skin. They called out for help but received no response. The smoke had begun to overwhelm their lungs as they coughed violently.

She felt hopeless, trapped in the engulfing inferno, no means of escape. Her shirt momentarily caught on fire, searing her skin, but she was able to put it out with a few brushes of her hand. As roaring flames inched closer and closer to her, the helpless girl became the prey, the malicious fire the predator.

Why hadn't she learned to play with the fire when her mother was going to teach her? What a fool she had been…

"Xiany!" A voiced cracked. Whipping her face around, feeling the smoldering heat slap her as she did, a burning beam banged onto the stone floor between the cousins. Sima Fu was surrounded by fire. There was no apparent way out for him.

Cursing herself, Sima Xian bobbed and weaved the falling beams that separated her and her younger cousin.

"Stay calm and listen to me, cousin. There is an exit down the hall. Once we get down there, I'll send you back home with some guards. Understand?"

His eyes wandered around her face frantically as he gazed down at her. "What about you?"

"I have business to finish here-"

"You aren't fit to go back out!" He protested. "Jiang Wei will kill you this time!"

Seeing a golden opportunity in front of her, Xian quickly jumped over the burning shards of wood with Sima Fu's hand in her own. This was her paying him back for saving her.

Sweat drizzled down their faces like waterfalls. The smoke burned their eyes as it had long ago begun to choke them. Was it a punishment for speaking so ill of her mother? What if instead it was a test? They'd never know.

An escape route had already been cleared by Xian's guards by time the Sima duo had managed to escape the burning castle.

As if she were his mother, Sima Xian began to clean the ash from her younger cousin's face. "Listen to what they say, Fu. Don't leave their sides. And most importantly, do not look back."

"But-"

"Not now, little one," she interrupted. She leaned up and kissed his forehead. "I love you. Now go."

Not bothering to look back, Xian found her throwing blades and was on her way.

* * *

"Well if it isn't the Sima girl again. Have you come back for more?"

She shivered at the thought, making an eerie smile creep onto his face. He liked to torture her and he'd gladly admit that. Perhaps it was the way that she screamed whenever he cut into her skin or stabbed something into her flesh.

"Leave while you can little Sima child," a feminine voice tormented more. "Leave while he is still feeling generous."

A tall woman with shining brunette hair appeared next to Wei. From her looks, she was his daughter: the infamous Jiang Li.

Xian laughed and hid away her daggers. "And who are you to mock? By the simple fact that you are not the legendary Liu Xing's daughter, you and your father are mere jokes." She shook her head at the older woman's stance. "Too tense, sweetheart. It is an insult to call you a warrior."

Jiang Li moved first. In the blank second that followed, while Li switched her crescent blade from guard to an attack, Xian gestured with one lazy wrist. A whirl sounded through the air, and a plethora of golden stilettos swung out like a reptilian tongue at the daughter or Jiang Wei.

The Sima began to giggle and outstretch her arms downward, and as her bell-like laughter began to ring out, sharp platinum lengthened, shooting outward from under her sleeve, impossibly quick and impractically straight, its crystalline edge becoming sharper than an atomic diameter, its diamond tip ruthlessly unbreakable.

Then she turned it upward, lifting her weapon in a one-handed fencer's salute, appearing to study it as the flames surrounding the threesome grew higher and hotter.

"If you only knew," she whispered softly, perhaps speaking to the blade in front of her, or perhaps to herself, or perhaps even to the family that stood before her, "how long I've wanted to do this…"

Wei chose that moment to charge forward and attack. Most spearmen preffered to attempt "Death from a single jab". He followed the adage nearly to the letter, attempting to create a hole in Sima Xian's abdomen followed by a slice to her neck, making her a head shorter.

Not one of the attacks came close to landing on flesh.

While deflecting a rain of steel-streaked cuts from the father, she noticed his daughter roll swiftly to the left, wrapping one hand around the leg of the only map table in the burning yard and flinging the entire piece of burning furniture like an oversized discus. Xian barely managed to lift herself enough that she could backflip over it instead of having it connect with her spine.

"Well," she said, landing with a laugh. "You are quite the fighter. I underestimated you!"

Sima Xian's back roll bought the Jiang daughter enough time to reach over her shoulder and draw a new pair of twin blades, a pair of wazikashis thinner and shorter than the other pair of blades, but just as sharp and quicker to slice. She charged, headlong and unafraid, and Xian sensed that her face was red with fury.

"You should have retreated with your imprudent grandfather!"

"And you should have never been born."

Xian neatly sidestepped, cutting at the woman's leg, yet she met the cut as she passed and managed to sweep one blade behind her head to slap aside the casual thrust the Sima aimed at the base of her skull—but the young Shu warrior's clumsy charge had put herself in her father's path, so that the man had to twist around his daughter's body.

Directly towards Xian's thrust.

Wei drove a stab at the diamond blade while he pivoted on one heel, and again Xiany sidestepped so that it was now Wei in Li's way.

"Really," she muttered, "can't you two at least try to act like you know what you're doing?"

Oh, they were certainly energetic enough for a duo; whirling and raining blows down almost at random, while the young Sima countered, in her gracefully simple way, and outmaneuvered them so thoroughly that it was all she could do to keep from laughing out loud. It was simply a matter of countering their tactics, which were depressingly straightforward: Jiang Li was the quick one, dodging this way and that, trying to get on Sima Xian's opposite border so that they could come at her from both sides—while Jiang Wei came on in a measured cadence, predictable as an arrow's flight, moving step by step, cutting off the angles, clumsy but relentless.

Whereas all Xian had to do was slip from one side to another—and occasionally flip over a head here and there—so that she could fight each of them in turn, rather than both at the same time. She supposed that, in the forests while combating invading bandit groups, they might actually prove reasonably effective; it was clear that their style had been developed by fighting as a team against multiple opponents. They weren't prepared to fight two-on-one, especially not against someone of her caliber.

She, on the other hand, had always preferred to fight alone.

She drew their strikes to her parries, and drove her own ripostes with jeers and taunts that subtly altered the duo's sense of control and pace. Oh, how easy it would be to slaughter them both, even with her bare hands.

But the strategist in her forbade it; right now, only one death was on her agenda.

She lunged into a thrust at Jiang Li's ridiculously concentrated face that the young warrior deflected upwards with a rising cross, bringing them breast-to-breast, blades scraping, locked together mere inches from each other's faces. "You're a little slow, Shu girl. Let's see some more of that gravity-defying agility you think you have!"

Li's response to this insult was, surprisingly, to say, "Coming right up."

She disappeared upwards so fast that it appeared like she'd vanished. And the space where Li's body had been was now filled with two hundred pounds of a pissed-off father, the grey steel of his spearhead driving straight for Xiany's heart.

Only a reflex-honed spin to the left made what should have been a sucking chest wound into the slice of a single strand of chocolate hair.

_Huh, _the Sima thought amused.

That had been pretty close.

But by the time she'd registered how narrow a miss it was, Li was all over her—blades weaving through an offensive cyclone that Xian didn't even attempt a slice of her own; instead she ducked, dropped low, and spun a reverse ankle-sweep—

But not only did the Shu warrior easily overleap this attack, Xian almost lost her own foot due to a slash from Wei, who had again come out of nowhere and landed a savage kick of his own to the bottom of her chin so hard that her entire body lifted off the ground and flew towards the growing flames.

This, she thought as stars blossomed in front of her eyes, is most definitely not part of the plan.

She flipped at the last moment and landed on both feet, but Jiang Wei's following strike downward was so hard that it buckled Xian's elbow back the way it was when he was torturing her. She leapt backwards, trying to get some distance—and Li's blades were there to meet her neck. Only a desperate whirling slash-block, coupled with a finger jab that caught Jiang Li on her left shoulder's nerve-cluster, bought Sima Xian enough time to retreat the other way—

And Wei was already there to meet her.

Slamming his spear down like he was chopping wood, the first chop slid off of her protective guard. The second bent Xian's wrist.

Jiang Wei came on, a machine of battle, impossibly strong, each step a blow and each blow a step. Xian backed away as fast as she dared, but Wei stayed right on top of her. She no longer tried to meet him strength-to-strength, but instead slanted his blows to the side. His physical strength was astonishing…

…and now Li was entering the fight again on her opposite side, fixing her in the jaws of their trap…

In her mind, she could see her army marching to where she was; her father ready to kill Jiang Wei and his idiot daughter.

…and of course Xian had to laugh.

It was time to alter tactics.

Jiang Wei, apparently, had noticed the change in her demeanor. He refused to say anything, but the increased ferocity of his attacks was sign enough: he didn't want her liking anything that was about to happen.

It didn't work. Sima Xian allowed that spirit of playfulness to bleed into her swordplay, no longer fighting the two, merely fencing with them. "I have to confess, there's a secret that I'm about to reveal. It's kind of funny. I learned it from a very good French teacher."

Twin diagonal slices from Jiang Li missed the eldest daughter of Sima Shi's back by a distance of hairs. "Do tell!"

"Glad to. The secret is…" And she leaped backwards, completely over Jiang Li's head, bringing her blade down so quickly that she nearly thrust through the woman's left eye socket. When she landed, Sima Xian tossed the hilt of her sword from one hand to the other.

"…I am _not_ left-handed."

* * *

A/N: So recently I've been going through some stuff that I won't mention on here, but know that this will probably be the last update of this story for a while. If it is not updated in the next three weeks, know that something happened and that I won't be updating for a very long time so look to the "Emperor" to do it. After all, it _is _his 50%.

By the way, I am soon to be publishing a book. More details on it will be delivered at a later date.

Merci pour la lecture. Je vous aime tous!


	15. Family Bonds

And she saw the realization dawn over the two Jiang's faces, and oh, it was good. The Shu strategists knew they'd been played.

Sima Xian's left-handed fencer's stance had been a ruse, as had her level of swordplay skill.

As if on cue, when the young strategist-in-the-making revealed her secret, almost the entire Sima clan and their faction round the corner, prepared to kill any who opposed them.

They were followed by waves of Shu troops. Suddenly, the burning castle became an ocean of turquoise and green; a sea of death.

Sima Shi found his way to his daughter's side, as Wei did his own child, with a smirk on his face. "Perhaps you are not as foolish as I deemed you. Care to go join me for a walk?"

"I'd love to, father," the mentally unstable Sima replied malignantly and joined back into her fight with her aunt while her father went to fighting Jiang Wei.

No matter how hard Li tried to rain down a flurry of impossibly fast strikes, Xian met every one of them without so much as shuffling her feet, staying perfectly balanced, perfectly centered, blade never moving a hair's width more than necessary, deflecting without effort. When Jiang Wei gained an advantageous position behind Sima Shi and leapt toward his back, he was already twisting to meet his spear with a playful slap of his own.

The green was quickly deteriorating and then – as Xian felt Jiang Wei and her father's presences behind her along with Sima Fu trying to find his way to her, and Jiang Li's footwork taking her just out of reach of anyone's blade for the next half-second – Xian's platinum sword flicked out to the left side of Wei's abdomen and back again, like the tongue of a frog.

His eyes went wide.

His spear thudded to the ground.

A fine sheet of blood promptly shot out from the center of Wei's stomach, and both of his hands shot up to cover the tiny, millimetric-sized incision that was bleeding his energy away between tightly clamped fingers. He gasped, struggling to breathe normally, but no one could hear him over the sound of his daughter's scream ripping apart all of China.

The Shu warrior brought both of her swords down with force that went beyond madness, and when both steel blades met Sima Xian's instinctive guard, the crystalline blade broke away from the hilt, falling to the ground with a thud.

Xian smiled and laughed the laugh of a maniac anyway.

Abruptly, she collapsed to the floor, her eyes wide with terror, her mouth wide in a shocked, and she joined the music of Jiang Li's rage with a terrified, fear-soaked scream of panic…

…just in time for Sima Fu to reach the scene. "STOP!"

Sima Xian crawled backwards on hands and knees, tears already brimming over her wide, panicked eyes; scrambling for distance away from the rage-maddened Shu strategist. "I told you, cousin! I told you!" She pointed a trembling finger at Li. "What did I say to you all those years ago? About the people of Shu coming to murder me? What did I tell you about their true ways?"

Sima Shi said nothing and watched in the background. It seemed that he was not wrong in picking her out of her sisters. She was a genius.

"Shut your mouth, you two-faced bitch!" Li's words came like a bark through clenched teeth. For a precious second she glanced back at her father. An injury that was serious, but survivable if he got help soon. But that wouldn't be happening while the Sima's were still there.

But Sima Fu would not have it. A threat to his precious Xiany was like a threat to his very existence. "I won't respond to that other than if you touch her, you are as good as dead."

Jiang Li's roar was like that of a volcano's eruption. She took two steps forward and kicked Xian's face as hard as possible. The daughter of Sima Shi's head rocked back, blood spraying from her nose and mouth. Her head struck the ground so hard that it was almost certain that she was unconscious.

Her beautiful face…now it was bloody and broken. Both watery blue eyes stared up at the ceiling and darted this way and that, unable to focus. Her mouth worked open, lips moving like a doll's, but words would not come out.

Before Fu could attack the perpetrator, Li flipped both of her swords into a reverse-grip, standing over Sima Xian's body, preparing to stab down. "Save your lies," she hissed.

Fu could not move. If he did, Xian would get killed. Victory coursed through her bloodstream.

Ma Dai came up behind Li, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You can't win this, Li. We can still save Master Jiang Wei, but we have to get out of here. It's okay."

Before she could follow through on her downward thrust or with Dai's advice, a sudden twang sounded throughout the demolished castle, and a tiny metal spearhead brought itself into her line of sight from directly beneath her chin. It was only after a very long second that Li realized that this was a crossbow bolt, and it had just ripped into and through her neck.

From behind.

She'd been so focused on the potential threat that was Sima Xian, she'd forgotten all about any potential threats from elsewhere.

And then, pain.

Unimaginable pain.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. Her fingers lost their grip on her sword and the weapon fell down perfectly straight, beating onto the grass not a hair's breadth away from Xian's left cheek. Li turned, tried to see through eyes that were hazing everything a shade of red, tried to find the shooter, tried to find the conspirator—

But all she could see was her father lying on the ground, one bloody hand held out to her. Palm up. Eyes growing dark, but still awake. Still aware.

She collapsed down beside him.

Her hand touched his.

And she continued falling. Straight into the darkness.


	16. New Beginnings

Sima Xian climbed the last step and saw her grandfather. "My lord," she begged, not bothering to bow before him. He immediately turned away from her and walked in the opposite direction. "Please. Lord Sima Yi…"

Xian chased after him but was slowed by her swollen belly. "Please." She continued after her grandfather. "For the love of me. For the love of your granddaughter! Have mercy!" Anne barely finished pleading before her superior's anger got the best of him.

Continuing walking ahead of the young Sima, Zhongda yelled at her, "You've become a whore and now I see! You've always been one."

She objected. "No!"

Yi quickly turned around to face his favorite granddaughter and pointed an accusing finger at her. "You are not what you seemed," he looked her up and down with pure disgust on his face.

"No please!" she cried back as he continued walking. "I didn't know this would happen." Finally able to catch up to him she ran in front of him, halting his steps. Xian grabbed his robe to keep him from pushing past her. "Please, my lord. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

With strength that neither of them knew that he had, Sima Yi pushed her off of him and continued walking away.

It truly did pain him to do this to her. She was his favorite and she had to go and toss everything away. He had to punish her for her wrongdoings. It was not so much that she had sex with Zhuge Dan, but it was that they were stupid enough not to be careful. It sickened him to the very core. Sima Xian was supposed to be smarter than that. She was a prodigy! Yet she threw it all away. What a fool she had become…

* * *

Sima Xian did not sleep well at all when she arrived to her estate in Xiangyang. Alas, she suffered many sleepless nights in her new home.

"Xian, you have to sleep," Mei Cai would try to persuade. "You not sleeping is not good for the baby I think."

Every moment that she shut her eyes though, vivid images of her past flooded through her mind. A tired Zhuge Dan would come to her bedchambers in his trousers and clean white gloves. They would make love as they always had while he was at Shouchun castle on his visits.

She woke up to a vast room with caramel walls and royal blue, but there was no Zhuge Dan. It was the most painful transition she ever had to make as a child of Sima Shi. But she was still a princess…for now. She had power close to that of the emperor, making it possible for her to cut off all connections with her father for the while.

Two days later reality came to settle in.

"Your highness, the emperor is here to see you."

The young girl raised her eyebrow slightly. It was not normal for the emperor himself to come to see someone. Usually he sent a messenger to summon the person.

"Allow him entrance."

With a questioning look, Zhao Lei nodded to her counterpart who opened the door and bowed to her emperor. Sima Xian stayed seated with her tiara resting proudly on her head.

"Will you not bow, Sima Xian? I am the emperor."

Xian did not bother to break eye contact. "I know your status very well but due to my current condition, I may not bow."

His eyes narrowed. "Your current condition has brought shame and humiliation to not only the Sima family but the entirety of Cao Wei. You will pay for it."

She twirls a brunette lock around her index finger. "What are you going to do? Take away my crown?"

"Precisely."

With a lopsided smirk, the daughter of Sima Shi tossed her silver crown onto the floor at the emperor's feet. One of his attendants swiftly picked it back up and placed it in its chest.

The emperor turned on his heel and stalked out of the small room.

"Mark my words, Cao Fang; I will one day have the crown back but I will no longer be a mere princess. I shall be the empress of all of China."

* * *

His normally calm and calculating demeanor slowly changed as his face - his nostrils flaring, his eyes flashing and closing into slits, his mouth quivering. He spoke words that were unintelligible into space like a volcano releasing its pent up emotions into the dimness.

His hands closed into fists and he slammed his fists down onto the wooden table.

"How dare she? She knew the consequences of her actions yet she fucked him anyway! She betrayed me!"

Lady Wu Lin, the wife of the infamous Sima Shi, almost laughed at her husband's outburst. Not only had what she predicted would happen happen but he was shocked when it did.

"Shi, my love, this isn't your fault but I did warn you not to allow her to be around all of those men. It is your brother's fault. We entrusted all of our children to Zhang and he didn't take care of them. Now Xiany is a whore-"

"Hold your tongue, woman! You have no right to say that about _my _daughter. Let's not forget that you still haven't even been pregnant in our almost six years of marriage."

"It isn't my fault!" Lady Wu screamed louder than she anticipated. "You never come to my bed anymore!"

A gold wine goblet banged against the wall; red wine splashing all over the walls. "Damn you, Lin! You are nothing but a liar and I see it now. You had me murder my wife- who actually did give me children- because you said that you could give me an heir. The only heirs I see are Xian and You. None of which you gave birth to."

"No," she protests. "My words were true, Ziyuan. They still are true." She corrects herself. Shi looks down at her, part of him wanting to believe her. Lin touches her stomach. "I will have our son, our heir."

He cut her off. "It is too late." His voice matched the reflected flame in his eyes. "You lied to me, Wu Lin." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He had thought about it for months now. It was only right. Only fair to Hui.

"I want a divorce."

* * *

Sima Xian screamed in pain; sweat marring her brow as she gripped onto the soaked sheets underneath her. She had been in labor since early the morning, the moon having laid siege to the darkened sky for several hours since. Her entire body ached and it was only sheer will power that kept her from collapsing in exhaustion as the midwife urged her to push. She had to survive this childbirth – to prove to everyone that she hadn't been cursed, that it wasn't her fault.

She needed to have this child to mend and fill the emptiness of her broken heart.

She had suspected, even though she never had monthly courses, but to become so wretchedly ill after the torture session she went through confirmed her suspicions. In truth, the thought of telling Zhuge Dan then and there had been all too tempting. It was a way to keep him, a way to chain him to her…but she had learned that such a love was no type of love at all. It had broken her to see that afterwards, he wanted nothing to do with her.

Never mind the blatant knowledge that Shouchun was no place for her stomach to swell and grow. There would have been too much gossip, or even worse, she would have been poisoned by some jealous bitch who hated her. The hope that had blossomed within her at the knowledge of her condition was to be nurtured, not thrown to the wolves. She needed this triumph in order to move on.

"Once more," the midwife urged – gripping tighter to the daughter of Sima Shi's legs as she brought the raven haired woman from her thoughts. "Push!"

Sima Xian groaned, her teeth gritting together as all the air seemed to escape her lungs and the entirety of her face turned a violent shade of red. She felt the weight leave her body as she fell limply onto the bedding. A deep wailing noise broke through the small space – drowning out even her own heavy breathing. She felt faint; the lights swimming before her eyes as the midwife moved about the room and made a fuss of washing the child.

"What is it?"

Her own weak voice paled in comparison to the thick lilt of the man that materialized from the shadows of the door's threshold. Yet, they asked the question at the same time – their eyes focusing only on one another in the intensity of the moment. There was hope in Sima Zhang's eyes as he looked towards the child and something indiscernible but calculating as he glanced at his niece. Even in her current state, Xian managed to hide her ashamed face.

Sima Zhang held all the power.

"It is a male," the midwife paused – unsure who to hand the newly swaddled babe to. "A healthy boy indeed."

**1 Year Later**

The sun beamed down on the heads of the new recruits of Cao Wei. Usually, on this kind of day, the soldiers would be laughing and drinking. Today, however, was not one of those days.

A now fourteen year old Sima Xian sparred with a handful of the men. It was nice to give them the shock to being trained by a woman.

"Move your damned feet! Dance to my tune correctly."

"Keep your eyes on your fucking opponent, not their weapon!"

"Don't throw you entire body into one attack. You're opening yourself up to attack!"

"Stop vacillating and fight! There is no room for nostalgia on the battlefield. It's kill or be killed!"

"Who is she?" A young man by the name of Feng Yu asked his best friend Jia Kang.

"She is Lady Sima Xian, daughter of Lord Sima Shi. She's known as the Whore of the Sima."

"You know boys, I still have my hearing. Now," Xian said seductively and walked to the young man. "Who are you?"

He bowed. "I am Feng Yu, my lady."

"You do not come from a known family, I assume. So what was your occupation?"

"I was a…farmer…"

The young woman laughed in the man's face, not caring if it was rude of her or not.

"Pardon me, my lady, but were you not once a princess? I'd assume one with such rank would not be practicing politics or war, but perhaps knitting and being more ladylike."

Her face fell in an instant. "So you assume that I cannot fight because of my status, barn boy?"

People began to gather around them. Sima Xian's piercing blue eyes showed no emotion. Feng Yu only stared back at her. Jia Kang then walked up to the surprised man.

"The situation has turned deadly, man. Just apologize so it can be over with." He whispered. However, Xian had other plans.

"Toss me the staffs," she said to Zhao Lei, motioning towards two staffs leaning on a wall. The young lady's guard reluctantly jogged over to the staffs and handed them to her. Sima Xian tossed one to Feng Yu. She then took position in front of him.

"Scared you'll lose?" she taunted.

Yu blinked then bowed and took up position in front of Xian. "Not a chance in hell."

She watched the boy, studying his form. With a plan of action in mind, she charged forward.

Xian forced her staff down hard on Feng Yu's, but he maintained a firm grip. With a shout, he hauled his own weapon into the air, breaking her hold. He charged with an attack of his own, swinging the staff around with accuracy, as she was forced to take up a defensive position to protect herself.

As they neared the edge of the crowd, Xian found a hole in his attack and rolled to safety. She swung her weapon to catch him on the left side, but he surprised her by blocking it with his arm and swinging with his right hand. Xian ducked out of the way and successfully landed a blow to his shin. Yu winced but maintained his footing.

"Impressive," he shouted. "You don't focus all of your energy on one weak point."

Xian smirked. "You shall dance to my tune."

"But do you like to dance as well, Lady Sima?" He charged again, this time bringing his staff around to cut off her balance. She jumped out of the way but was forced back on the defensive. Managing to break away, the bouts continued. After some time, she brought her staff around to catch his left side again. He blocked it but left his right side vulnerable. Xian grabbed his arm and yanked it behind his back. "I win," she whispered in his ear haughtily.

"Says who?" Yu kicked his staff into his left hand and brought it behind her, catching Xian in the cheek. Blood trickled down her face to a chorus of shouting. He now held his weapon in his left hand. It looked as comfortable there as it had in his right

"I thought I was the only one who could switch hands," she confessed not at all amused.

"Think again, my lady. Now what "weakness" will you attack now?"

Xian laughed alluringly. "Your ego."

She cried out and charged, forcing Feng Yu to whirl around in circles to avoid her. He tried to catch her feet as she moved to his backside, but she stepped lightly on his arm and vaulted herself over him. Sima Xian landed gracefully on the other side of the circle and prepared to charge again.

But it was too late.

"Enough!"

A/N: Have not seen talked to you all in a while so I'm just dropping by. Part 1 is coming to an end soon!


	17. Blades of Destiny

Neither one of them made another move.

Sima Yi's eyes scanned everyone in the courtyard, but stopped and stared at his eldest granddaughter. "Shouldn't you be elsewhere?"

The teen smirked confidently and placed a hand on her hip, resting her sparring weapon on over her shoulder. "Jin is with Sima Fu. Just like he is everyday at this time."

Just as she said that, her toddler rounded the corner with Sima Fu. Abandoning the new recruits and her grandfather, she ran to her son.

"Mama!"

Xiany smiled and pecked him on the cheek. Sima Jin was all that really mattered to her at that point. Zhuge Dan never came back to her after she told him about her pregnancy and even though most of her family members were supportive of her after she gave birth to a son, nothing was ever quite the same. And it hurt to even look her son in the face. Because of her naivety, her son would never know who his father was. Who was to blame but herself?

"How's my little boy? Have you been good for Fu Fu?"

The blonde-headed toddler giggled, nodding his head. Sima Fu laughed as well and kissed his younger cousin's cheek and handing him of to his mother. She granted him her lopsided smirk as a symbol of appreciation. His eyes widened as if in surprise as he smiled at the child in Sima Xian's arms, stooping down a bit to speak to him.

"You almost forgot to give mama her present, didn't you?"

Jin clapped his hands and laughed. "Me and _Tata_ got it!"

The word _tata_ stood out more than anything to the warrioress. She was beyond curious. Why would Sima Jin call Sima Fu his father? Noticing her sons curiosity at her own curious face, she smiled at him. "Oh really? Do you have it?"

The boy pointed at his cousin. "He has it!"

Xiany looked up at the individual standing before her. He was even more handsome now than he'd ever been. If only he wasn't her first cousin…

She watched him as he pulls out a small black box and opened it for her to see. Inside was a delicate gold necklace with a light blue stone. Her breath was easily taken away as she gazes up into Sima Fu's big blue eyes. They were twinkling with anticipation.

Her attention drew back to her son. "I love it baby. Thank you." She kissed his cheek but never broke eye contact with her younger cousin. He takes the gift out of the box and puts the necklace around her neck. "It was a small gesture…to show his mother how much he loves her."

He tore his eyes away from her and softly caressed her cheek. "I'll have something even better for you in the future."

Quickly, she tore away from him and regained her regal composure. "There is a council within the hour. You should go prepare for it."

Taking her hint that she wanted him to leave, he bowed and walked away. She wouldn't deter him that easily though.

* * *

It felt peaceful, just to listen the water moving. One of the amazing things was how the river ended in the ocean. Sima Zhang used to live in front of that river while his wife was pregnant with Sima Fu and he always wondered how there could be a different between which one is the river and which one is Lake Missulai. It wasn't too far from here that Zhang had met - or rather, attacked - Xing Cai. It was also here that she died after the birth of their son.

Both bodies of water brought back horrifyingly painful memories.

"Haven't you anything more productive to do than sit around pitying yourself? I must say, Sima Zhang, you aren't much of use to our cause anymore."

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against a tree. That annoying voice was no one's but Wu Lin's.

"What do you want, woman? You should know by now that you are not welcomed here."

The sly seductress walked towards the younger man. She had on less clothes than she normally would and it made him very suspicious. Zhang knew very well that her and his brother's marriage was nearing the end of its close. Now it seemed as if she was trying to get him. She would not.

"Spare me of your game and tell me why you are here. Already am I tiring of you."

"I need you to persuade your brother into keeping my hand in marriage."

The Sima laughed. "Help you? You are just as ignorant as you are a whore." His eyes narrowed as he stood up, towering over the curvaceous lady. "You are my enemy. You are the reason why my relationships with Shi and Xian are the way they are. I should kill you. It would be quite easy, Lin."

Angry tears welled in her eyes. "Silence! You cannot speak to the wife of Sima Shi that way-"

"The ex-wife of Sima Shi. She is nothing. She never was."

"You are nothing but fucking lowlife bastard who sits around and pities himself because he lost his bitch of a wife. And you know what? I think your son will end up the exact same way!"

Word after word that flowed from her lips angered him more by the second. His patience was running out and his temper was flaring. Rage boiled through Zhang's body. He barely had a chance to think of his actions. The only thought running through the prefect's head was getting Wu Lin to shut up.

Sima Zhang threw his hand forward as hard as He could, whipping it across her face. The crack of skin contacting skin echoed across the garden. Vibrations of pain started in his palm and spread all the way to his finger tips but he didn't care. Zhang's palm was bright red, the same red mark that matched the one on her face. She stared at him with her eyes wide as her hand slowly made it to her fire red cheek.

A triumphant grin spread across his face and sat back down as she walked away. He had won this round.

* * *

Sima Xian sat at her mirror watching as her her guard, Zhao Lei, combed her hair. Her thought were not there though. She thought solely of the man she fought in the courtyard earlier. He was…cute.

"Go find that man I fought this morning. Bring him here immediately."

Lei raised an eyebrow to question Xian, but knew it best not to. Bowing, she walked out of the room to go find Feng Yu.

After ten minutes, the door reopened and the man from the courtyard entered the room, slightly disturbed.

Xian smirked to herself and stood, saying nothing to the new recruit.

"Lady Sima, you sent for me?" Feng Yu's voice was shaky, as if he was afraid of walking into the wolf's den. Literally.

"If Lei came for you then someone had to send for you, yes?" The teenager smirked and pet the large white wolf by her side.

"What is it that you want?"

Meatbun began to growl, ready for her order to tear the man to bits. She never gave that order.

"I want to know more about you, barn boy. Tell me about yourself."

"First of all, do not call me that. And I have already given you my background information. You know everything already." His voice was cold and annoyed.

The girl toyed with her robe, teasing him. There was a steamy, swirling ripple pattern on the material, like that on a kimono. But no kimono was ever so scandalous. Feng Yu swallowed hard as he ripped his eyes away from the much younger female's curvy body, but he could only look away for so long, over the fair stomach, up to the round, expressive breasts.

"Staring, are we?"

"Shut up, you little skank," Yu rolled his eyes. The weird energy between them dissipated, and he was more comfortable, even though a part of him still wanted the adrenaline of it.

"Enjoy the view," Xian smiled boldly, pressing for attention.

"You're such a whore," he spat.

"You're just a prude, barn boy," she stuck her tongue out.

Before she could even blink, Yu had forced her up against a wall, flames in his eyes. His face is inches above hers. "Is this what you want from me, _princess_? You wanted to see my resolve? You wanted my attention? Well fine! Here it is!"

Not giving her a chance to reply, the man threw Xiany onto the bed, not at all bothered by how much she was laughing. She was ecstatic. Her seductive trickery had gotten her what she wanted as always. As if he had known her weakness all along, he caressed her breast with his hands.

"Mm…"

"Don't utter another sound."

He then pinched her nipples, making her to moan loader. He secretly liked the way she responded. Not to mention the fact that his very presence in her bed could result in his beheading. That fact alone made everything worth while. He loved the feel of danger.

At the height of her pleasure, he pulled his hands away from her abundant breasts.

"Now it's your turn, _princess_, to please me."

She smirked, begging him to enter her.

And he did, slowly and steadily. When he was fully inside of her, he kept his thrusts slow, making her to adjust to him.

"More…faster," she pleaded with him.

Every time she made any noise, he pumped faster and harder.

It feels so good and it never even once hurt. In fact, she still wanted more of him, faster and faster. Her mind went blank because of the pleasure and she liked it. He spurted his juices inside her, filling her womanhood. In the long, masculine moan of the boy's climax Sima Xian's momentary slip was lost. As she lied panting slightly on the bed, she regretted, just like she always did after a night in her "pleasure quarters", with a touch of self-mockery that the person lying next to her was not Zhuge Dan.

Feng Yu kissed her lips tenderly, as she did not protest.

"You are a feisty little woman. I like that."

* * *

Servants carried great wooden trays full of all sorts of foods and wines while members of the massive Wei Empire and their families stood leisurely talking to one another about the festivities.

Flute players as well as other musicians played their music joyfully. Both Sima Xian and Sima Fu lounged on a sofa bed, them being the center of attention. It was her fifteenth birthday and his eleventh.

Her son had given her a bracelet decorated with silver and gold. Her father gave her a new rapier- gold with a red swept hilt. Sima Zhang and Sima Zhao gotten her four sets of jewels each. Diao Ning had gotten her a basket of Cherry Blossom fumes- in which was her absolute favorite scent. Sima Fu had been given the grandest gift of all- a wolf. He had named her Nyla, meaning champion. She fit her name very well though. As the alpha female of her and Meatbun's pack, she was tough and hardheaded; almost like a wolf version of her least favorite person, Sima Xian.

""Ho un regalo per te e sono sicuro che lo troverete molto più a proprio piacimento, Xiany."

She cocked an eyebrow and looked at him. Even after being in Italy for a few short years, his Italian was flawless. Little did he know that she also spoke Italian fairly well. "Oh? Che cos'è?"

From the way she pronounced the question he could tell that she did not speak the language very well.

Calling his adjutant to him, he whispered something to him with a smirk. The assistant walked out of the hall and returned with long box covered by a gold cloth. The room immediately grew quiet as everyone eyed the gift curiously.

The Sima's adjutant kneeled before Sima Xian, awaiting her or his master's orders. Sima Fu reached for the cover as he looked intently into his crush's eyes. "Lady Sima Xian, may I present to you the Blades of Destiny."

Revealed were three swords. The two on the outsides were both pure golden daggers with crystal hilts. It was the actual rapier that took everyone's breath away. It was nothing ever seen before- a crystalline edge sharper than an atomic diameter, its literally diamond tip ruthlessly unbreakable.

"A literal diamond sword," she gazed in awe and wonder. "Thank you, my cousin. It is by far the grandest gift I have ever received."

His smirk never faded. "Now you are ready to become our Empress."


	18. Succession

Wu Lin paced nervously around her chambers, worried thoughts going through her head. She was thinking so hard, that she had little consciousness of the world around her, only as much to be able to walk with a raised heart beat through her chambers without bumping into anything. And yet, despite all of that, her eyes somehow found the means to distract her attention to the window overlooking the courtyard. However it was not the beautiful bloom of the trees outside that had so magically managed to capture Lin's attention. No, it took something more than a pretty plant to manage to distract the wife of Sima Shi from her troubles. Frozen dead in her step, she walked over to peer out of the rusty-framed window. Outside, here's truly was enjoying a perfectly wonderful stroll on a fine summer day. There might have been a time, perhaps, where all of Wu Lin's attentions would be focused on the man's fine physique. But this day, all she was looking at was the bleak, frail woman by the name of Yang Huiyu, walking hand in hand with her husband; laughing at everything he laughed at, agreeing with everything he said. And although this lady looking like the innocent dove in a frock of pale green velvet, was so perfect in the eyes of the court, to Wu Lin, the wife of Sima Shi, knew she was something else…

Lin's eyes which were filled with the deep sorrow of her heart suddenly burned with anger. "I should have expected this!" she thought, and she was right, since Shi and Huiyu made no secret of their courtship, even in the presence of the court. She had seen all the stares passed by her husband to the woman, she had known what he was up to every night he refused to share her bed, and she had seen the way people looked at her, as if they were sorry, sorry for her, and for what had happened to her marriage. Now that she thought about it, she recognized that the way people looked at her was the same way they looked at Jiang Hui! Never had Wu Lin been this furious! She knew exactly what was happening, and that there was nothing she could do about it.

Forcing herself, she looked once again to the scene outside the window. Her husband was kissing Huiyu! No longer was all of her anger focused on the bleak woman, but on Shi himself now. Was he not supposed to be faithful to her? Were these not the words that had come from his mouth the day they were wed? Now they despised each other. What was even worse was the fact that his family favored this new woman over her.

Feeling a burning in her chest, Lin staggered away from the window, struggling for air, looking for anything to lean on. She found comfort in her mirror frame, yet somehow she did not dare to look up at her reflection, perhaps frightened of whom she might see. Taking her eyes from the floor, she peered up at the shiny surface of her mirror. She saw nothing of her old self, nothing of the fire, of the passion that she once had. She had been blind, but now she could see.

Wu Lin was left motionless, weeping on the floor in front of her mirror. Slowly, she wiped the moisture off her cheeks, raised herself up, held her head tall, and told herself, "I am The daughter of Wu Zhi. I do not get threatened by unimportant whores." She looked back out of the window at the now empty courtyard. I will have my revenge on the concubine one way or another."

Yes, Wu Lin had made a plan. Lady Yang Huiyu would be assassinated.

* * *

"My lady, a messenger of the Lord Sima Shi has arrived. He wishes to speak to you urgently."

A pregnant Sima Xian turned onto her side, not wishing to be disturbed. "Of all the years you have spent in my service Lady Zhao, perhaps you would have noticed that when I retire early for the evening I do not care to be disturbed."

"But, but…" Zhao Lei had never been good at her come backs to Sima Xian and under the prodigy's penetrating gaze, the words stuck like lumps of tar to her throat.

"Well?"

"Our Lord has decided to change his plans for dinner tonight. You are to dine privately with your father, Xian."

The teen sat up quickly in her bed? Why would he wish for a conference with her? He already knew that she was pregnant again, in which this time he did not really care.

"Fine," she agreed. "Send me two of my ladies in to help me get ready."

* * *

"Lady Sima Xian."

"Father," Xian said coldly, without feeling, without thought. None could give fault to the child, as her greeting was perfectly acceptable, yet, despite himself, Shi could feel his heart sink a little bit at those icily muttered words of duty.

Looking up, the father peeked at what his daughter was wearing. She was dressed in deep blue robes with translucent sleeves embodied with ribbon, pearls and sapphires. The chest portion of the robe, strangely enough, was embodied with a quilin. The skirts of her gown were unlike any he had seen before, the same dark blue as everywhere else, but with a trail lined with diamonds and pearls. Around her neck hung a diamond necklace, and on her finger was a single ring, a falcon, plain and simple silver, but it was beautiful nevertheless. Her hair was no less impressive, her long raven locks hanging loose, braided with pearls. On her head rested a tiara, a silver one, lined with sapphires and diamonds that glistened in the moonlight. Her baby bump was perfectly hidden.

Xian enjoyed watching her father's eyes pop wide open at her sight before he regained his control, yet she in turn, remained rather untouched by his appearance, which was no less impressive than her own.

"Boy, knife!"

"Yes, my lord."

Ziyuan began to slice through the stag on his plate, probably imagining it to be his wife herself. His protégé seemed to ignore that fact, and carried on eating without a word. In fact, she had not uttered a single syllable since the cold greeting at the beginning of the meal.

"Leave us," the regent muttered to the servants, and one by one they each left the room.

"Have you been ill?"

"Father, you know I-"

"Answer the question."

"No, my lord, my health has increased over the past months."

"What might be the matter with you, Xian?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

"May I speak plainly?"

"Yes," said the son of Sima Yi, clearly agitated.

"Sometimes flowers bloom the most when neglected by the sun."

"Are you suggesting that I neglect you?"

"No! Not at all, lord father." She set her chopsticks down and looked straight into his eyes. "You are one the few people in the world who actually do pay attention to me and I am thankful for that."

"Then why are you being so extravagant all of the sudden?" He pressed.

Reaching out, she placed her small, pale hand on his. "I am in a happy state currently. Everything just seems to be going right for now. For the first time in my life, I don't feel…discarded." She shook her head and took a sip of her wine. "I know. I sound silly."

Sima Shi hesitated with his thoughts and she took notice of it. "Go ahead. Ask me."

"Do you feel that way because of the Lady Wu?"

The usually austere teen gave way to her laughter. "No sir, not at all. It was the fault of Lady Jiang. She…didn't like me in comparison to my sisters. Especially my twin. When you started seeing your current wife, I was almost glad. I wouldn't be mistreated by my own mother anymore if you divorced. All thanks to the Lady Wu." She stopped momentarily and ate more of her food before starting again. "You know, I actually used to like Lady Wu. Alas, we are too much alike- both of us very ambitious and ruthless. But there is only room for one of us. I am up and coming. She is down and going."

He smiled. "You are right. You are up and coming, _Zhaosho_."

_Zhaosho_… Was that to be her style name? It was perfect.

"Father…"

"Xian, listen to me. A storm is coming and we must prepare for it. Cao Fang is an imbecile, as you already know." She nodded in agreement. "In April, a rebellion shall be started. We will dispose of the entire Royal family and then seize the throne."

Her face lit up. "Will grandfather be emperor?"

He shook his head, his hair sliding into his face. "No. Despite how odd it sounds, he wishes to work in the background. Essentially, the emperor would merely be a puppet."

"Lord father, the next in line is you. Are you seriously about to let grandfather run you?"

"Of course not. I am not to be the emperor either."

"Well then who…" she stopped mid-sentence, answering her own question. Was he joking? He could not possibly rule anything! He was only an insolent child. China would fall out of balance if Sima Fu were to be emperor at this age.

"I know what you are thinking, my pet. Yes, he is quite young, but we need someone young to take on the roll. Besides, I thought that you would be quite excited about the opportunity."

"Sima You couldn't be emperor? He's older and much more mature-"

Shi silenced his daughter with a sadistic smirk. "If Sima You was the new emperor, then you wouldn't get the chance to be the empress."

"Empress! What?"

"Keep quite," the father said and glanced at the door. "You have to marry him."

She gagged. "No," she spat angrily. "I won't give him that satisfaction. Besides its illegal."

Ziyuan reached across the table and placed his hands on either side of his daughter's face. "You are a woman and most all of your kind will not be remembered once their lives are over. I want you to be different. I want you, Sima Zhaosho, to be talked about throughout the ages. You will be the greatest thing to have ever walked the earth, and you will do so as the empress."

* * *

A/N: Final chapter coming soon!


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